The author of this article, Mr. Jwing-Ming Yang, has done a wonderful job of translating traditional Oriental concepts into words and ideas that are better understood by us in the Western world. For more information on how artiritis is described in the terms that practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine use, please see the article on "Bi" Syndromes among the Clinical Point Selections.
"Bi" means pain, and many of the "Bi" syndromes overlap with the Western differentiation of arthritis.
Although we understand how some forms of arthritis start, we
are still in the dark about other forms. In this section we would like
to summarize the known possible causes, and also contribute some
ideas from Chinese medicine and Qigong.
1. Weakness of the Internal Organs:
We already know that the condition of the internal organs is
closely related to our health. According to Chinese medicine, there are
five Yin organs which are considered the most important for our health and longevity. These organs are the heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, and
spleen. Whenever any of these five organs is not functioning properly,
sickness or even death can occur. Furthermore, all of these five organs
are mutually interrelated. Whenever there is a problem with one, the
others are always involved too. For example, gouty arthritis is caused
by the improper functioning of the liver and kidneys.
2. Defective Genes:
Only recently it was reported that some forms of arthritis are
caused by defective genes, which are inherited from one's parents.
According to Chinese medicine, the genes are considered the essence
of your being. This essence is responsible for the production of hor
mones, from which Qi is generated. When this Qi is led to the brain,
the spirit is raised. When all of these conversion processes are functioning normally, the immune system is strong and sickness is less
likely. One of the main goals of Qigong is learning how to convert
the essence into Qi efficiently and lead it to the brain.
3. Weak Joints:
Weak joints can come from heredity or from lack of exercise. The
body is a living machine, so the more you use it, the better condition it
will be in. Chinese medicine believes that even if you have inherited a
weak joint it is still possible to strengthen it through Qigong. When
you exercise, Qi is brought to the joint by the movement of the muscles
and tendons. This will nourish the joint and rebuild it.
4. Injury:
According to today's medicine, some forms of arthritis are caused
by injury to the joints. Although the injury may not be serious, it may
have significant results. The injury can affect the muscles, tendons,
ligaments, or even the cartilage and bone. Whenever any joint injury,
even a minor one, is not treated, the normal smooth Qi circulation in
the joint area will be affected. If the situation persists, the Qi imbal
ance can cause problems such as arthritis.
5. Aging:
Aging has always been the cause of many sicknesses, including
arthritis. When you are old, the Qi level in your body is low. Since
your system is being deprived of the required amount of Qi, it starts to
degenerate. One of the main goals of Qigong practice is learning how
to slow down the aging process by building up the Qi in the body.
6. Qi Deficiency:
Qi deficiency is responsible for many problems. It can be caused
by emotional depression and sadness, which can lead the Qi inward
and make the body Yin. This deprives the outer body of Qi. When
this happens, you will generally feel cold. If the problem persists for
a long time, the muscles and tendons will be affected by the the lack
of Qi, and the joints will be weakened.
Qi deficiency can have other causes, such as the weather. For
example, your body's Qi is more deficient in the winter, and there
fore, arthritis can be more serious then.
Qi deficiency can also be caused by working for prolonged
periods in a damp area, or by exposing your joints to the cold.
7. Tension:
Tension includes both mental tension and physical tension,
which are related and cannot be separated. Constant mental and
physical tension can increase the pressure on the joints. For
example, some people are very tense and grind their teeth in their
sleep, which can cause arthritis in the jaw.
A lot of body tension is caused by the emotional disturbance
which is related to your mental reaction to stressful events. For this
reason, learning how to regulate your mind is an important part of
the treatment of arthritis.
2-5. Other Possible Means of Preventing or Curing Arthritis
In addition to the ones already discussed, there are a number of
other methods of preventing or curing arthritis. Although many of
them are still awaiting scientific confirmation, they may be worth
your consideration. However, you must understand that everybody
has his or her own unique characteristics, and his or her own unique
inheritance. In addition to the habits and lifestyle that each person
has developed, everyone's mental and physical structure is different.
For example, some people are affected by allergies while others are
not. What this means is that you cannot necessarily use the same
method to treat different people, even when they have the same
disease. Even modern Western medicine has found that the same
treatment will not work equally well on all patients. Therefore, do
not automatically brush off some of the treatment methods we will
discuss. After all, Western medicine is only in its infancy, and it may
come to understand and accept these alternative remedies.
1. Diet:
People who are experienced in Qigong have always considered
food to be a significant influence on the condition of the Qi in the
body. For this reason, diet is one of the main concerns of Chinese
medicine. There is a saying: "You are what you eat." It is well
known that improper diet is one of the main causes of gouty arthri
tis. The Chinese have found many different herbs that can ease the
pain and reduce the swelling of arthritis. It has recently been dis
covered that protein, calories, and fats can reduce the inflammation
of arthritis. Certain fish oils may interfere with the process of
inflammation and therefore reduce the symptoms of rheumatoid
arthritis.(*5, *6).
2. Change of Residence:
Since the Qi in your environment can affect the Qi in your body,
arthritis sufferers should give serious consideration to this method.
If the climate where you live is too damp or too cold, it may be affect
ing your arthritis. It has recently been discovered that the Qi in our
bodies can be significantly affected by the electromagnetic fields generated by modern technology, and therefore cause some forms of
cancer. For example, people who live near high tension power lines
tend to get cancer more often than those who do not. Perhaps
similar environmental effects on arthritis will be found.
3. Change of Lifestyle:
Your lifestyle affects how the Qi circulates in your body. If you
frequently feel ill, especially mentally, you might need to change
your lifestyle. How you think and how you coordinate the Qi pattern
in your body with the natural Qi is very important for your health.
Whenever your Qi circulation is against the "Dao" (nature), you will
be sick. You may find that walking for an hour or doing Qigong exer
eises every morning improves your Qi circulation.
4. Clothing:
What you wear also affects the Qi in your body. In the winter
you must stay warm, and especially protect your joints. Joints that
are left unprotected can loose Qi very quickly.
It has been discovered that many man-made fibers can adverse
ly affect the Qi distribution and circulation in the body. For
example, polyester is known to cause Qi stagnation, and to prevent
the body's Qi from exchanging with the environmental Qi. You may
have noticed that clothing made of polyester can accumulate a con
siderable charge of static electricity in the winter. This builds up an
electromagnetic field and affects the Qi circulation in your body.
There are many other ways of improving the condition of your
arthritis. For example, it is reported that sexual activity can stimu
late the adrenal glands to produce more corticosteroid, a hormone
that reduces joint inflammation and pain. It is believed that sexual
activity may also trigger the release of endorphins, a naturally
occurring painkilling substance.(*7)
You can see from our brief discussion that, if we want to under
stand arthritis completely, we must remain humble and continue our
study and research. Only then will we be able to reach the goal of a
complete cure.
References
- "Medicine for the Layman - Arthritis," Clinical Center Office of Clinical Reports & Inquiries, Building 10B, Room 1C255, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892.
- "The Complete Medical Guide," Benjamin F. Miller, M.D., Simon and Schuster, New York, 1978.
- "Arthritis, Rheumatic Diseases, and Related Disorders," U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health.
- "An Overview of Arthritis and Related Disorders," Caring, January 1989.
- "Arthritis and Diet," Arthritis Foundation, 1314 Spring Street, N.W., Atlanta, GA 30309.
- "Can Diet Relieve Arthritis," University of California, Berkeley, Wellness Letter, Volume 6, Issue 8.
- "Arthritis and Your Love Life," 8, Men's Health, 1989.
From the book entitled "Qigong for Arthritis", YMAA Publication Center, Jamaica Plain.