Joint Stiffness in Traditional Chinese Medicine
Understanding different joint stiffness patterns according to TCM theory
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Condition Categories
Condition Categories
Joint stiffness encompasses the sensation of limited or restricted movement in one or more of the body’s joints. It is often accompanied by discomfort or pain, which can further inhibit free motion. This condition can present itself in a variety of forms, such as stiffness in specific areas like the neck, shoulders, or knees, or as a more generalized rigidity affecting multiple joints.
Joint stiffness can be a symptom of underlying health issues, including inflammatory conditions like arthritis or the natural aging process, and is a significant concern for its impact on daily functioning and quality of life.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), joint stiffness is perceived through the concept of 'pattern differentiation.' A pattern in TCM is a complex framework used to diagnose the nature of a patient's disharmony by interpreting a constellation of symptoms and signs. It goes beyond the superficial manifestation of a condition, aiming to understand the underlying cause of symptoms such as joint stiffness.
Identifying the pattern is crucial because it guides the practitioner to a tailored treatment strategy. It ensures that the intervention—whether it be with acupuncture, herbs, or lifestyle modifications—addresses the root of the disharmony rather than just the surface symptom, fostering a more holistic healing process.
TCM Patterns for Joint Stiffness
Cold
Congeals body fluids, damages Yang Qi, and causes pain with fixed location
Causes: Joint stiff, Joint pain, Joints pain, Reduced range of motion in the affected joints, Aching bones and joints
Cold is the predominant pathogenic factor of winter in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Cold represents an environmental pathogen that, when excessive, causes disease characterized by its cold, congealing, and contracting nature. While Cold is the main pathogen of winter, it can cause illness in any season through exposure to cold temperatures, getting caught in rain, sweating followed by wind exposure, or excessive air conditioning.
Cold invading the Channels joints and muscles
Joint stiff, Joint pain
Along with: Arthralgia, Joint stiffness, Muscle pain, Swollen joints, Muscle numbness, Stiff neck
Damp-Cold
Joints pain
Along with: Mouth ulcers, White and watery sputum, Nasal discharge, Sneezing, Chills, Abdominal pain, Cold extremities, Arthralgia, Diarrhea, Feeling of heaviness
Wind invading the Channels joints and muscles
Joints pain
Along with: Arthralgia, Wind phobia, Fever
Painful Obstruction with Wind-Cold-Damp
Reduced range of motion in the affected joints
Along with: Swollen and painful joints worsening at night, Joint stiffness, Chills without sweating, Weight loss, Headaches, Dizziness, Shortness of breath, Nausea, Rheumatoid arthritis, Connective tissue disorders
Yang Deficiency with Cold-Damp
Aching bones and joints
Along with: Body pain, Bone and joint pain, Cold extremities, Absence of thirst, Aversion to cold, Migraine, Cluster headache, Trigeminal neuralgia, Piriformis syndrome, Rheumatoid arthritis
Dampness
Heavy, sticky moisture that obstructs body functions and creates sluggishness
Causes: Joint stiff, Joint pain, Joints pain, Reduced range of motion in the affected joints, Aching bones and joints
Dampness manifests as swelling, bloating, a feeling of heaviness in the head and limbs, and digestive issues. It's like having waterlogged tissues that make everything feel heavy and slow. Common signs include a thick, greasy tongue coating, sticky mouth sensation, and stools that are difficult to flush.
Dampness invading the Channels joints and muscles
Joint stiff, Joint pain
Along with: Arthralgia, Joint stiffness, Swollen joints, Skin numbness, Heavy joint, Muscle numbness
Damp-Heat
Joint pain
Along with: Fever, Neck gland swelling, Headaches, Tight feeling in chest and stomach, Sticky taste in the mouth, Absence of thirst, Feeling of heat, Feeling of heaviness, Bitter taste in the mouth, Acne
Damp-Cold
Joints pain
Along with: Mouth ulcers, White and watery sputum, Nasal discharge, Sneezing, Chills, Abdominal pain, Cold extremities, Arthralgia, Diarrhea, Feeling of heaviness
Painful Obstruction with Wind-Cold-Damp
Reduced range of motion in the affected joints
Along with: Swollen and painful joints worsening at night, Joint stiffness, Chills without sweating, Weight loss, Headaches, Dizziness, Shortness of breath, Nausea, Rheumatoid arthritis, Connective tissue disorders
Yang Deficiency with Cold-Damp
Aching bones and joints
Along with: Body pain, Bone and joint pain, Cold extremities, Absence of thirst, Aversion to cold, Migraine, Cluster headache, Trigeminal neuralgia, Piriformis syndrome, Rheumatoid arthritis
Heat
Intense, ascending pathogenic force that consumes body fluids, disturbs the mind, and accelerates all physiological processes
Causes: Joint stiff, Joints pain, Joint pain
Heat is a major pathogenic factor in Traditional Chinese Medicine that can arise from external invasion or internal generation. Heat has the characteristics of burning intensity, rising upward, consuming qi and fluids, and generating wind and disturbing blood. In TCM philosophy, normal physiological warmth is called "minor fire" (少火) which maintains life functions, while pathological heat is "major fire" (壮火) which damages the body.
Heat invading the Channels joints and muscles
Joint stiff, Joints pain
Along with: Arthralgia, Joints red and hot, Fever, Thirst, Anxiety, Wind phobia, Swollen joints, Joint stiffness
Damp-Heat
Joint pain
Along with: Fever, Neck gland swelling, Headaches, Tight feeling in chest and stomach, Sticky taste in the mouth, Absence of thirst, Feeling of heat, Feeling of heaviness, Bitter taste in the mouth, Acne
Empty-Heat caused by Yin Deficiency
Joint pain
Along with: Nighttime fever, Emaciation, Chronic pyelonephritis, Pulmonary tuberculosis, Renal tuberculosis, Tidal fever, Hot palms and soles, Red skin eruptions, Night sweats, Generalized fatigue
Blood Deficiency
Insufficient blood to nourish the body, causing paleness, dizziness, and dryness throughout the system
Causes: Joint pain, Stiffness in the neck shoulder and upper back
Blood Deficiency represents a fundamental lack of blood volume or quality in the body, resulting in organs, tissues, and the mind being undernourished. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, blood not only refers to the red fluid in our vessels but encompasses the body's entire nourishing and moistening functions.
Liver Blood Deficiency
Joint pain
Along with: Blurry vision, Dull pale complexion, Scanty menstruation, Limb numbness, Pale lips, Muscle weakness, Dizziness, Tingling of limbs, Insomnia, Eye floaters, Night blindness, Amenorrhea, Withered and brittle nails, Dry hair, Skin dryness, Depression, Lack of direction, Vivid dreaming
Painful Obstruction with Qi and Blood Deficiency
Stiffness in the neck shoulder and upper back
Along with: Feeling of heaviness, Limb numbness, Difficulty in moving, Stiffness in neck, shoulder, and upper back, Periarthritis of the shoulder, Rheumatoid arthritis
Yin Deficiency
Depletion of cooling, moistening fluids causing dryness, false heat rising, and restless agitation throughout the body
Causes: Joint pain
Yin Deficiency represents a fundamental pattern in Traditional Chinese Medicine where the body's yin fluids - blood, essence, and body fluids - become depleted, losing their ability to cool, moisten, and anchor the yang energy, resulting in relative hyperactivity of yang and internal heat manifestations.
Kidney and Liver Yin Deficiency
Joint pain
Along with: Dizziness, Tinnitus, Hearing loss, Lower back pain, Vertical headaches, Occipital headache, Insomnia, Limb numbness, Tingling of limbs, Dry eyes, Blurry vision, Dry throat, Dry hair, Skin dryness, Withered and brittle nails, Vaginal dryness, Night sweats, Dry stools, Nocturnal emission, Scanty menstruation, Amenorrhea, Late menstruation, Infertility, Melasma
Empty-Heat caused by Yin Deficiency
Joint pain
Along with: Nighttime fever, Emaciation, Chronic pyelonephritis, Pulmonary tuberculosis, Renal tuberculosis, Tidal fever, Hot palms and soles, Red skin eruptions, Night sweats, Generalized fatigue
Wind
Causes sudden symptoms, movement disorders, and serves as the vehicle for other pathogens
Causes: Joint pain, Reduced range of motion in the affected joints
Wind is the predominant pathogenic factor of spring in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is considered the leader of the six external pathogens. Wind is described as "the leader of the hundred diseases" (百病之长), serving as the primary factor in external pathogenic invasions. Wind represents a pathogen characterized by constant movement, changeability, and a tendency to affect the upper and outer portions of the body.
Exterior Wind
Joint pain
Along with: Aversion to cold, Fever, Headaches, Wind phobia, Nasal discharge, Clear sputum, Itchy throat, Sneezing, Coughing, Muscle pain, Itchy skin
Painful Obstruction with Wind-Cold-Damp
Reduced range of motion in the affected joints
Along with: Swollen and painful joints worsening at night, Joint stiffness, Chills without sweating, Weight loss, Headaches, Dizziness, Shortness of breath, Nausea, Rheumatoid arthritis, Connective tissue disorders
Phlegm
Thick, sticky pathological fluid that obstructs body functions and can manifest anywhere in the body
Causes: Joint stiff, Joints pain
Phlegm is both a pathological product and a pathogenic factor in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It results from impaired fluid metabolism when the body's transformative functions fail, particularly affecting the Spleen, Lungs, and Kidneys. Classical texts emphasize that "the Spleen is the source of phlegm production, while the Lungs are the storage vessel for phlegm."
Phlegm in the Channels joints and muscles
Joint stiff, Joints pain
Along with: Skin numbness, Skeletal deformities, Joint stiffness, Arthralgia, Muscle pain
Yang Deficiency
Insufficient yang qi causing coldness, fatigue, and diminished physiological functions throughout the body
Causes: Aching bones and joints
Yang Deficiency represents a fundamental weakness of the body's yang qi in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It manifests as an inability to warm the body, transform substances, and maintain normal physiological activities, resulting in various cold-type symptoms and functional decline.
Yang Deficiency with Cold-Damp
Aching bones and joints
Along with: Body pain, Bone and joint pain, Cold extremities, Absence of thirst, Aversion to cold, Migraine, Cluster headache, Trigeminal neuralgia, Piriformis syndrome, Rheumatoid arthritis
Blood Stasis
Blood that is no longer flowing smoothly through the vessels
Causes: Shoulder stiffness
Blood Stasis represents blood that is no longer flowing smoothly through the vessels, either moving too slowly, pooling in certain areas, or congealing into clots. It's one of the most important pathological conditions in Traditional Chinese Medicine and can be both a result of disease and a cause of further illness.
Blood Stagnation
Shoulder stiffness
Along with: Dark face, Purple lips, Stabbing fixed pain, Abdominal masses, Purple nails, Menstrual cramps, Dark menstrual clots, Dark menstrual blood, Lumps
Yang Excess
Excessive yang energy that generates heat, agitation, and hyperactivity throughout the body systems
Causes: Stiff shoulder, Stiffness in the neck shoulder and upper back
Yang Excess represents pathological hyperactivity of the body's yang qi in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It manifests as excessive heat, inflammation, and overstimulation that disrupts the normal balance between yin and yang, causing various acute and intense symptoms.
Liver Yang Rising
Stiff shoulder, Stiffness in the neck shoulder and upper back
Along with: Headaches, Dizziness, Tinnitus, Deafness, Blurry vision, Dry mouth, Dry throat, Insomnia, Irritability, Exhaustion, Anger, Stiff neck, Shoulder stiffness, Stiff upper back
Qi Deficiency
Insufficient vital energy causing fatigue, weakness, poor digestion, and reduced function of organs and protective systems
Causes: Stiffness in the neck shoulder and upper back
Qi Deficiency is a fundamental pattern in Traditional Chinese Medicine where the body's vital energy is insufficient to maintain normal physiological functions, leading to weakness, fatigue, and various organ dysfunctions.
Painful Obstruction with Qi and Blood Deficiency
Stiffness in the neck shoulder and upper back
Along with: Feeling of heaviness, Limb numbness, Difficulty in moving, Stiffness in neck, shoulder, and upper back, Periarthritis of the shoulder, Rheumatoid arthritis
Herbal Formulas for Joint Stiffness
Traditional Chinese Medicine formulas used to address joint stiffness
Xiao Huo Luo Dan
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Dispels Wind
- Eliminates Dampness and transforms Phlegm
- Invigorates the Blood
- Removes Stagnation and relieves pain
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Cold invading the Channels joints and muscles
How it manifests:
Joint stiff, Joint pain
Accompanying symptoms:
Arthralgia, Joint stiffness, Muscle pain, Swollen joints, Muscle numbness, Stiff neck
Dampness invading the Channels joints and muscles
How it manifests:
Joint stiff, Joint pain
Accompanying symptoms:
Arthralgia, Joint stiffness, Swollen joints, Skin numbness, Heavy joint, Muscle numbness
Wind invading the Channels joints and muscles
How it manifests:
Joints pain
Accompanying symptoms:
Arthralgia, Wind phobia, Fever
Qi Ju Di Huang Wan
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Nourishes Kidney and Liver Yin
- Improves vision
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Kidney and Liver Yin Deficiency
How it manifests:
Joint pain
Accompanying symptoms:
Dizziness, Tinnitus, Hearing loss, Lower back pain, Vertical headaches, Occipital headache...
Liver Yang Rising
How it manifests:
Stiff shoulder, Stiffness in the neck shoulder and upper back
Accompanying symptoms:
Headaches, Dizziness, Tinnitus, Deafness, Blurry vision, Dry mouth...
Ba Zheng San
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Clears Heat and Fire
- Promotes urination
- Unblocks painful urinary dribbling
- Purges Fire
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Damp-Heat
How it manifests:
Joint pain
Accompanying symptoms:
Fever, Neck gland swelling, Headaches, Tight feeling in chest and stomach, Sticky taste in the mouth, Absence of thirst...
Bu Gan Tang
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Tonifies and regulates the Blood
- Nourishes the Liver Yin
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Liver Blood Deficiency
How it manifests:
Joint pain
Accompanying symptoms:
Blurry vision, Dull pale complexion, Scanty menstruation, Limb numbness, Pale lips, Muscle weakness...
Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Disperses Wind
- Relieves headaches
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Exterior Wind
How it manifests:
Joint pain
Accompanying symptoms:
Aversion to cold, Fever, Headaches, Wind phobia, Nasal discharge, Clear sputum...
Da Chai Hu Tang
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Harmonizes and releases the Lesser Yang
- Drains internal clumping due to Heat
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Liver Yang Rising
How it manifests:
Stiff shoulder, Stiffness in the neck shoulder and upper back
Accompanying symptoms:
Headaches, Dizziness, Tinnitus, Deafness, Blurry vision, Dry mouth...
Da Fang Feng Tang
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Expel Wind Damp
- Relieve pain
- Tonify the Liver and the Kidneys
- Tonify the Blood and Qi
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Wind invading the Channels joints and muscles
How it manifests:
Joints pain
Accompanying symptoms:
Arthralgia, Wind phobia, Fever
Da Huang Mu Dan Pi Tang
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Clears Stagnant Heat in the intestines
- Reduces swelling and disperses lumps
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Blood Stagnation
How it manifests:
Shoulder stiffness
Accompanying symptoms:
Dark face, Purple lips, Stabbing fixed pain, Abdominal masses, Purple nails, Menstrual cramps...
Da Huang Zhe Chong Wan
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Breaks up and dispels Blood Stagnation
- Generates new Blood
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Blood Stagnation
How it manifests:
Shoulder stiffness
Accompanying symptoms:
Dark face, Purple lips, Stabbing fixed pain, Abdominal masses, Purple nails, Menstrual cramps...
Dan Shen Yin
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Invigorates the Blood and removes Blood Stagnation
- Promote Qi movement
- Relieves pain
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Blood Stagnation
How it manifests:
Shoulder stiffness
Accompanying symptoms:
Dark face, Purple lips, Stabbing fixed pain, Abdominal masses, Purple nails, Menstrual cramps...
Di Dang Tang
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Breaks up and dispels Blood Stagnation
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Blood Stagnation
How it manifests:
Shoulder stiffness
Accompanying symptoms:
Dark face, Purple lips, Stabbing fixed pain, Abdominal masses, Purple nails, Menstrual cramps...
Fu Zi Tang
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Warms the Meridians
- Assists the Yang
- Dispels Cold
- Transforms Dampness
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Yang Deficiency with Cold-Damp
How it manifests:
Aching bones and joints
Accompanying symptoms:
Body pain, Bone and joint pain, Cold extremities, Absence of thirst, Aversion to cold, Migraine...
Ge Gen Tang
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Releases the Exterior and muscle layer
- Forms Body Fluids
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Wind invading the Channels joints and muscles
How it manifests:
Joints pain
Accompanying symptoms:
Arthralgia, Wind phobia, Fever
Gui Shao Di Huang Tang
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Nourishes Blood
- Nourishes Yin
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Kidney and Liver Yin Deficiency
How it manifests:
Joint pain
Accompanying symptoms:
Dizziness, Tinnitus, Hearing loss, Lower back pain, Vertical headaches, Occipital headache...
Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Invigorates the Blood
- Transforms Blood Stasis
- Softens lumps
- Reduces fixed abdominal pain
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Blood Stagnation
How it manifests:
Shoulder stiffness
Accompanying symptoms:
Dark face, Purple lips, Stabbing fixed pain, Abdominal masses, Purple nails, Menstrual cramps...
Gui Zhi Shao Yao Zhi Mu Tang
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Clears Heat and inflammations
- Unblocks the flow of Yang Qi and promotes movement (in areas with painful obstruction)
- Clears Wind and Damp
- Relieves pain
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Painful Obstruction with Wind-Cold-Damp
How it manifests:
Reduced range of motion in the affected joints
Accompanying symptoms:
Swollen and painful joints worsening at night, Joint stiffness, Chills without sweating, Weight loss, Headaches, Dizziness...
Hai Tong Pi Tang
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Invigorates the Blood
- Disperses swelling
- Dispels Wind, Dampness and Cold
- Removes Stagnation and relieves pain
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Blood Stagnation
How it manifests:
Shoulder stiffness
Accompanying symptoms:
Dark face, Purple lips, Stabbing fixed pain, Abdominal masses, Purple nails, Menstrual cramps...
Huang Qi Gui Zhi Wu Wu Tang
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Augments the Qi
- Warms and harmonizes the channels
- Unblocks painful obstruction
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Blood Stagnation
How it manifests:
Shoulder stiffness
Accompanying symptoms:
Dark face, Purple lips, Stabbing fixed pain, Abdominal masses, Purple nails, Menstrual cramps...
Juan Bi Tang
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Tonifies and harmonizes the Protective and Nutritive Qi
- Dispels Wind
- Eliminates Dampness
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Painful Obstruction with Qi and Blood Deficiency
How it manifests:
Stiffness in the neck shoulder and upper back
Accompanying symptoms:
Feeling of heaviness, Limb numbness, Difficulty in moving, Stiffness in neck, shoulder, and upper back, Periarthritis of the shoulder, Rheumatoid arthritis
Ling Jiao Gou Teng Tang
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Cools the Liver
- Extinguishes Wind
- Increases Fluids
- Relaxes the sinews
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Liver Yang Rising
How it manifests:
Stiff shoulder, Stiffness in the neck shoulder and upper back
Accompanying symptoms:
Headaches, Dizziness, Tinnitus, Deafness, Blurry vision, Dry mouth...
Liu Wei Di Huang Wan
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Enriches the yin and nourishes the Kidneys
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Kidney and Liver Yin Deficiency
How it manifests:
Joint pain
Accompanying symptoms:
Dizziness, Tinnitus, Hearing loss, Lower back pain, Vertical headaches, Occipital headache...
Qi Bao Mei Ran Dan
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Enriches the Kidney Yin and Essence
- Nourishes the Liver Blood
- Beautifies hair
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Liver Blood Deficiency
How it manifests:
Joint pain
Accompanying symptoms:
Blurry vision, Dull pale complexion, Scanty menstruation, Limb numbness, Pale lips, Muscle weakness...
Qing Hao Bie Jia Tang
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Nourishes the Yin
- Clears Heat
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Empty-Heat caused by Yin Deficiency
How it manifests:
Joint pain
Accompanying symptoms:
Nighttime fever, Emaciation, Chronic pyelonephritis, Pulmonary tuberculosis, Renal tuberculosis, Tidal fever...
San Zhong Kui Jian Tang
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Clears Heat and resolves Toxicity
- Reduces swelling
- Induces ulceration
- Moves the Blood and dispels stasis
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Blood Stagnation
How it manifests:
Shoulder stiffness
Accompanying symptoms:
Dark face, Purple lips, Stabbing fixed pain, Abdominal masses, Purple nails, Menstrual cramps...
Shen Tong Zhu Yu Tang
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Invigorates Blood
- Unblocks painful obstruction
- Relieves pain
- Invigorate Qi
- Dispels Blood Stagnation
- Unblock Channels
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Phlegm in the Channels joints and muscles
How it manifests:
Joint stiff, Joints pain
Accompanying symptoms:
Skin numbness, Skeletal deformities, Joint stiffness, Arthralgia, Muscle pain
Shu Jing Huo Xue Tang
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Expels Wind Damp from the Channels
- Invigorates Blood
- Unblocks the channels
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Dampness invading the Channels joints and muscles
How it manifests:
Joint stiff, Joint pain
Accompanying symptoms:
Arthralgia, Joint stiffness, Swollen joints, Skin numbness, Heavy joint, Muscle numbness
Si Wu Tang
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Restores and nourishes Blood
- Stimulates Blood circulation
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Liver Blood Deficiency
How it manifests:
Joint pain
Accompanying symptoms:
Blurry vision, Dull pale complexion, Scanty menstruation, Limb numbness, Pale lips, Muscle weakness...
Suan Zao Ren Tang
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Nourishes the Blood
- Calms the Mind and eliminates irritability
- Clears Heat
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Liver Blood Deficiency
How it manifests:
Joint pain
Accompanying symptoms:
Blurry vision, Dull pale complexion, Scanty menstruation, Limb numbness, Pale lips, Muscle weakness...
Tao He Cheng Qi Tang
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Dispels Heat and
- Eliminates Blood Stagnation
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Blood Stagnation
How it manifests:
Shoulder stiffness
Accompanying symptoms:
Dark face, Purple lips, Stabbing fixed pain, Abdominal masses, Purple nails, Menstrual cramps...
Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Calms the Liver
- Extinguishes wind
- Invigorates the blood
- Clears heat
- Tonifies the Liver and Kidneys
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Liver Yang Rising
How it manifests:
Stiff shoulder, Stiffness in the neck shoulder and upper back
Accompanying symptoms:
Headaches, Dizziness, Tinnitus, Deafness, Blurry vision, Dry mouth...
Wei Ling Tang
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Promotes urination
- Warms the Yang
- Strengthens the Spleen
- Drains Dampness
- Promotes the movement of Qi
- Harmonizes the Stomach
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Damp-Cold
How it manifests:
Joints pain
Accompanying symptoms:
Mouth ulcers, White and watery sputum, Nasal discharge, Sneezing, Chills, Abdominal pain...
Wu Tou Tang
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Warms the channels and remove obstruaction
- Disperse Cold and Dampness
- Warms the joints
- Relieve joints pain
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Cold invading the Channels joints and muscles
How it manifests:
Joint stiff, Joint pain
Accompanying symptoms:
Arthralgia, Joint stiffness, Muscle pain, Swollen joints, Muscle numbness, Stiff neck
Xuan Bi Tang
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Clears and resolves Damp-Heat
- Unblocks the meridians
- Disbands painful obstruction
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Heat invading the Channels joints and muscles
How it manifests:
Joint stiff, Joints pain
Accompanying symptoms:
Arthralgia, Joints red and hot, Fever, Thirst, Anxiety, Wind phobia...
Yu Lin Zhu
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Tonifies Kidney Yang
- Consolidates the Penetrating and Directing Vessel (Chong Mai, Ren Mai)
- Facilitating pregnancy
- Promotes Blood circulation and regulates menstruation
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Blood Stagnation
How it manifests:
Shoulder stiffness
Accompanying symptoms:
Dark face, Purple lips, Stabbing fixed pain, Abdominal masses, Purple nails, Menstrual cramps...
Zhen Xin An Shen Tang
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Anchors the Heart and calms the Mind
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Liver Yang Rising
How it manifests:
Stiff shoulder, Stiffness in the neck shoulder and upper back
Accompanying symptoms:
Headaches, Dizziness, Tinnitus, Deafness, Blurry vision, Dry mouth...
Zhen Zhu Mu Wan
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Nourishes the Yin and Blood
- Sedates the Heart and calms the Mind
- Calms the Liver
- Anchors the yang
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Liver Yang Rising
How it manifests:
Stiff shoulder, Stiffness in the neck shoulder and upper back
Accompanying symptoms:
Headaches, Dizziness, Tinnitus, Deafness, Blurry vision, Dry mouth...
Zuo Gui Yin
Addresses these joint stiffness patterns:
Main Actions
- Nourishes the Yin
- Tonifies the Kidneys
Addresses These Joint Stiffness Pattern Variations
Kidney and Liver Yin Deficiency
How it manifests:
Joint pain
Accompanying symptoms:
Dizziness, Tinnitus, Hearing loss, Lower back pain, Vertical headaches, Occipital headache...