As the cold winter wind gradually rises, many people will feel a dull pain between their bones, swollen and stiff joints, and extremely inconvenient movement, as if their bones have been “frozen”. From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, this phenomenon is closely related to the changing seasons in nature and changes in the body’s yang energy. In winter, the yang energy is restrained. If the body’s yang energy is insufficient, it is difficult to warm the whole body, leading to invasion of cold pathogens and worsening joint pain. So, how to warm up the body and alleviate these discomforts? Traditional Chinese Medicine provides several practical suggestions:
Bathing in sunlight, warming and replenishing yang energy
The warm winter sun is particularly precious. Taking a timely bath in the sunshine can effectively enhance the body’s yang energy, strengthen bones, and reduce joint pain. It is recommended to enjoy about half an hour of sunbathing between 9-10 am or 4-5 pm, allowing the warm light to dispel the coldness in the body.
Focus on keeping warm and protecting joints
In cold weather, the joints are particularly fragile and susceptible to invasion by cold pathogens, leading to stagnation of qi and blood. Therefore, it is particularly important to wear knee pads, gloves, and choose high heeled shoes to protect the ankles, ensuring that the joints do not get cold and reducing pain.
Eat to nourish joints and strengthen nutrition
Dietary adjustments can also effectively alleviate joint pain. Eat more calcium rich foods, such as dairy products, soy products, fish and shrimp, seaweed, black fungus, as well as collagen rich chicken feet, pig trotters, lamb legs, tendons, etc. These foods can not only supplement calcium, but also nourish joints and promote health.
Joint pain from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine
Even after following the advice of keeping warm and sun exposure, there are still some people whose joint pain does not decrease, which may be related to the so-called “Bi disease” in traditional Chinese medicine. Bi disease has various causes, including but not limited to:
Weakness of righteous qi, invasion of external pathogens, and obstruction of meridians.
Cold dampness contains heat, or dampness and heat flow into the joints.
Improper diet or decline in spleen and kidney function, re infection with external pathogens, obstruction of meridians.
Phlegm is endogenous, and phlegm and blood stasis accumulate around the joints.
Liver and kidney deficiency, aging and physical decline, loss of muscle and bone nourishment.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment Strategies
According to the different causes of arthralgia, TCM adopts individualized treatment scheme, combining traditional Chinese medicine, traditional Chinese patent medicines and simple preparations and acupuncture and moxibustion:
Traditional Chinese Medicine: Commonly used medicinal herbs such as frankincense, myrrh, Qianghuo, and Duhuo are used for diagnosis and treatment based on the condition.
Traditional Chinese patent medicines and simple preparations: such as Duhuo Jisheng Pill, Tripterygium Wilfordii Tablets, Fengfengning Injection, etc., which are easy to take and have significant effects.
Acupuncture and moxibustion therapy: Quchi, Waiguan, Yanglingquan, Dazhui, etc. are selected as the main points, supplemented by local points of painful joints, and the meridians are dredged through acupuncture to relieve pain.
In summary, traditional Chinese medicine aims to restore the balance of yang energy in the body, strengthen joint nutrition, promote qi and blood circulation, and effectively alleviate joint pain in winter through comprehensive regulation.
