Arthritis & rheumatism: Bi Syndrome

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TCM sees arthritis & rheumatism as being caused by Wind, Cold, Dampness, or any

combination of the three.

 

When Wind is the primary culprit, the pains will tend to move around a lot just

as Wind moves a lot. This type of pain is called " wandering pain, " and may be

difficult for the person to pinpoint.

 

Dampness pain tends to stay in one place because Dampness tends to move slowly

and to stagnate and accumulate. There also tends to be swelling with Dampness Bi

Pain.

 

Cold Bi pain may also tend to stay in one place. The pain can be quite severe,

but without swelling (unless Dampness is a co-factor).

 

One tipoff to which Pernicious Evils are at the root of the Bi Syndrome is what

weather conditions aggravate the person's arthritis or rheumatism. Cold

tempertatures will aggravate Bi Pain with a Cold component. Dampness will

aggravate Bi pain with a Dampness component. Wind will aggravate Bi Syndrome

when Wind is a component. Cold, damp winters can trigger some severe arthritic

pains in people who have both Cold and Damp components. Throw in Wind with the

Cold and Dampness in people sensitive to all three, and there can be some major

pain.

 

Some texts classify arthritis/rheumatism herbs under the category of Herbs to

Relieve Arthritis & Rheumatism. Other texts will use the terminology " Herbs for

Expelling Wind Dampness. " (There are some herbs in the Expelling Wind Dampness

category which are not arthritis herbs, but most of them are.)

 

Bi pain affects the Exterior - Muscles, Tendons, Joints, and Bones. The Bones

are the most interior of these. Almost all the Expel Wind Dampness herbs enter

the Kidney, the Liver, or both.

 

If the pain is bone deep, you want an herb that will enter the Kidney because of

the Kidney's connection to Bone. If the pain is more in the Tendons, you want

herbs that will enter the Liver because the Tendons are ruled by the Liver.

 

You also want to pay attention to the thermal energy of the herbs. If the Bi

pain is accompanied by swelling, redness, and inflammation, you may want to

chose an herb which has cooling energy because inflammation and redness are

signs of Heat. If the Bi Syndrome has a Cold component, you want to choose

herbs with warming energy so as not to aggravate the Cold component.

 

Wicke says, " Bi pain is usually a Branch disharmony resulting from some deeper

Root disharmony. " (Text 2, p. 71) In other words, using the Expel Wind Dampness

herbs is only treating symptoms. You want to also identify and treat the Root.

 

An example of this is asking why is the Dampness accumulating and causing Bi

pain? Sure, you can treat the pain with herbs that Expel Wind Dampness, but the

Dampness and pain keep returning. Very often Dampness will accumulate because

the Spleen is Deficient. So you treat both the symptom (the pain) and the

underlying Spleen Deficiency (or whatever problem is causing the Dampness

accumulation).

 

Another good question is why is this particular person so weather sensitive and

her/his Bi pain aggravated so easily by changing weather conditions. (Weather

sensitivity varies in people.) Very often it is because the very weather

sensitive person lacks Protective Qi (Wei Qi). So in addition to treating the

symptom (pain) you also want to increase the person's Protective Qi with an herb

like astragalus.

 

When Cold is a big component you want to warm the Exterior with herbs like raw

ginger or cinnamon twigs (Herbs for Relieving Wind Chill). In some cases you

also may need to Warm the Interior with herbs like dried ginger or cinnamon

bark. In some cases there may be an underlying Yang Deficiency which is making

the person Cold Internally and more vulnerable to External Cold. In these cases

you also want to use Yang Tonics.

 

Victoria

 

 

 

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