Joint stiffness according to Chinese Medicine
The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.
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Joint stiffness can be the consequence of several so-called “patterns of disharmony” in Chinese Medicine.
Chinese Medicine sees the body as a system, not a sum of isolated parts. A "pattern" is when the system's harmony is disrupted, leading to symptoms or signs that something is wrong (like joint stiffness here). It is similar to the concept of disease in Western Medicine but not quite: a Western disease can often be explained by several Chinese patterns and vice-versa.
A pattern often manifests itself in a combination of symptoms that, at first glance, do not seem necessarily related to each others. For instance here joint stiffness is often associated with joint pain and swollen joints in the pattern “Dampness invading the Channels joints and muscles”. As you will see below, we have in record four patterns that can cause joint stiffness.
Once identified, patterns are treated using medicinal herbs, acupuncture, and other therapies. In the case of joint stiffness we’ve identified five herbal formulas that may help treat patterns behind the symptom.
We’ve also selected below the five medicinal herbs that we think are most likely to help treat joint stiffness.
The four "patterns of disharmony" that can cause joint stiffness
In Chinese Medicine joint stiffness is a symptom for 4 patterns that we have on record. Below is a small explanation for each of them with links for more details.
Dong Quai (Dang Gui) is the king ingredient for Shu Jing Huo Xue Tang, a formula used for Dampness invading the Channels joints and muscles
Dampness invading the Channels joints and muscles
Pulse type(s): Slow (Chi), Soggy (Ru)
In addition to joint stiffness, other symptoms associated with Dampness invading the Channels joints and muscles include joint pain and swollen joints.
Dampness invading the Channels joints and muscles is often treated with Shu Jing Huo Xue Tang, a herbal formula made of 16 herbs (including Dong Quai - Dang Gui - as a key herb). Shu Jing Huo Xue Tang belongs to the category of "formulas that invigorate blood and dispel blood stagnation", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Expels Wind Damp from the Channels".
Read more about Dampness invading the Channels joints and muscles here
Prepared Sichuan Aconite (Zhi Chuan Wu) is the king ingredient for Wu Tou Tang, a formula used for Cold invading the Channels joints and muscles
Cold invading the Channels joints and muscles
Pulse type(s): Tight (Jin), Floating (Fu)
In addition to joint stiffness, other symptoms associated with Cold invading the Channels joints and muscles include joint pain, swollen joints and numbness of the muscles.
Cold invading the Channels joints and muscles is often treated with Wu Tou Tang, a herbal formula made of 6 herbs (including Prepared Sichuan Aconite - Zhi Chuan Wu - as a key herb). Wu Tou Tang belongs to the category of "formulas that warm the meridians and disperse cold", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Warms the channels and remove obstruaction".
Read more about Cold invading the Channels joints and muscles here
Stephania Roots (Fang Ji) is the king ingredient for Xuan Bi Tang, a formula used for Heat invading the Channels joints and muscles
Heat invading the Channels joints and muscles
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu), Slippery (Hua)
In addition to joint stiffness, other symptoms associated with Heat invading the Channels joints and muscles include swollen joints, fever and anxiety.
Heat invading the Channels joints and muscles is often treated with Xuan Bi Tang, a herbal formula made of 9 herbs (including Stephania Roots - Fang Ji - as a key herb). Xuan Bi Tang belongs to the category of "formulas that dispel wind-damp", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Clears and resolves Damp-Heat".
Read more about Heat invading the Channels joints and muscles here
Prepared Sichuan Aconite (Zhi Chuan Wu) is the king ingredient for Wu Tou Tang, a formula used for Painful Obstruction
Painful Obstruction
Pulse type(s): Tight (Jin), Wiry (Xian)
In addition to joint stiffness, other symptoms associated with Painful Obstruction include joint pain, swollen joints and stiff neck.
Painful Obstruction is often treated with Wu Tou Tang, a herbal formula made of 6 herbs (including Prepared Sichuan Aconite - Zhi Chuan Wu - as a key herb). Wu Tou Tang belongs to the category of "formulas that warm the meridians and disperse cold", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Warms the channels and remove obstruaction".
Five herbal formulas that might help with joint stiffness
Xiao Huo Luo Dan
Source date: 1107 AD
Number of ingredients: 6 herbs
Key actions: Dispels Wind. Eliminates Dampness and transforms Phlegm . Invigorates the Blood. Removes Stagnation and relieves pain.
Why might Xiao Huo Luo Dan help with joint stiffness?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Dampness invading the Channels joints and muscles' of which heavy joint is a symptom.
Shu Jing Huo Xue Tang
Source date: 1587 AD
Number of ingredients: 16 herbs
Key actions: Expels Wind Damp from the Channels. Invigorates Blood. Unblocks the channels.
Why might Shu Jing Huo Xue Tang help with joint stiffness?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Dampness invading the Channels joints and muscles' of which heavy joint is a symptom.
Wu Tou Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 6 herbs
Key actions: Warms the channels and remove obstruaction. Disperse Cold and Dampness. Warms the joints. Relieve joints pain.
Why might Wu Tou Tang help with joint stiffness?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Cold invading the Channels joints and muscles' of which joint stiff is a symptom.
Xuan Bi Tang
Source date: 1798 AD
Number of ingredients: 9 herbs
Key actions: Clears and resolves Damp-Heat. Unblocks the meridians. Disbands painful obstruction.
Why might Xuan Bi Tang help with joint stiffness?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Heat invading the Channels joints and muscles' of which joint stiff is a symptom.
Da Fang Feng Tang
Source date: 1107 AD
Number of ingredients: 14 herbs
Key actions: Expel Wind Damp. Relieve pain. Tonify the Liver and the Kidneys. Tonify the Blood and Qi.
Why might Da Fang Feng Tang help with joint stiffness?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Painful Obstruction' of which joint stiff is a symptom.
Acupuncture points used for joint stiffness
The five Chinese Medicinal herbs most likely to help treat joint stiffness
Why might Liquorice (Gan Cao) help with joint stiffness?
Because Liquorice is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat joint stiffness as a symptom, like Wu Tou Tang or Da Fang Feng Tang for instance.
Liquorice is a Neutral herb that tastes Sweet. It targets the Heart, the Lung, the Spleen and the Stomach.
Its main actions are: Tonifies the Basal Qi and nourishes the Spleen Qi. Clears Heat and dispels toxicity. Moistens the Lungsexpel phlegm and stop coughing. Relieves spasms and alleviates pain. Harmonizes and moderates the effects of other herbs.
Why might Szechuan Lovage Root (Chuan Xiong) help with joint stiffness?
Because Szechuan Lovage Root is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat joint stiffness as a symptom, like Shen Tong Zhu Yu Tang or Shu Jing Huo Xue Tang for instance.
Szechuan Lovage Roots is a Warm herb that tastes Pungent. It targets the Gallbladder, the Liver and the Pericardium.
Its main actions are: Regulates and moves the Blood. Relieves Wind-Cold and pain. Circulates the Qi in the Upper Burner, relieving headaches.
Why might White Peony Root (Bai Shao) help with joint stiffness?
Because White Peony Root is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat joint stiffness as a symptom, like Shu Jing Huo Xue Tang or Wu Tou Tang for instance.
White Peony Roots is a Neutral herb that tastes Bitter and Sour. It targets the Liver and the Spleen.
Its main actions are: Tonifies the Blood and preserves the Yin. Nourishes the Liver and assists in the smooth flow of Qi. Regulates the meridians and eases the pain.
Why might Prepared Sichuan Aconite (Zhi Chuan Wu) help with joint stiffness?
Because Prepared Sichuan Aconite is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat joint stiffness as a symptom, like Wu Tou Tang or Xiao Huo Luo Dan for instance.
Prepared Sichuan Aconite is a Hot herb that tastes Bitter and Pungent. It targets the Spleen, the Heart, the Kidney and the Liver.
Its main actions are: Dispels Wind and Dampness. Warms the meridians and relieves pain caused by Cold
Why might Myrrh (Mo Yao) help with joint stiffness?
Because Myrrh is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat joint stiffness as a symptom, like Xiao Huo Luo Dan or Shen Tong Zhu Yu Tang for instance.
Myrrh is a Neutral herb that tastes Bitter. It targets the Spleen, the Heart and the Liver.
Its main actions are: Moves Blood and relieves Stagnation and pain caused by Blood Stagnation. Assists in wound healing.
Other symptoms often associated with joint stiffness
Joint pain Swollen joints Rheumatism Rheumatoid arthritis Abnormal uterine bleeding Numbness of the muscles Stiff neck Muscle pain Diarrhea Impotence