Treatment Scope > Orthopaedics > Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic immune disease. It can affect the blood vessels, heart, longs, nerves, eyes and other organs in addition to joints. The cause is generally unknown. Most researchers consider it an autoimmune disorder, in which the immune system attack the body. 

Aetiology: 

(1). Genetic factor 

(2). Infection factor: RA patients have a high immune reaction to some micro bacteria. 

(3). Other factors: the RA development can be accelerated by Estrogens and decreased by Progesterone. 

Clinic observations show the symptoms with the patients that have taken some contraceptives are reduced.

Pathogenic mechanism: 

It is not very clear. The body is triggered by factors such micro bacteria infections and/or with genetic action. The trigger factors invades inside the body, triggering the body to develop immune reaction to outside antigens, i.e. fluid immunity and cell immunity. Several cell factors can be measured in the fluid on the inflammatory joint. Among them, the IL-1 is remarkable; it is a very strong cell factor to accelerate the inflammation. When the disease has developed to the late stage, the involved joints become fibrosclerosis and osteosclerosis resulting in malformed joints. Finally the involved joints with severe dysfunction lose their functions. 

Aetiology and pathologic mechanism explanation in TCM explanation: 

Under the congenital deficiency and lower resistance, the wind, cold, dampness and heat pathogenic factors invaded the body and can obstruct muscles and block the net of the joint. This makes the transportation of Qi and blood uneven, resulting in stagnation (BI syndrome). On a long term, the liver and kidney are involved, muscles and bone are damaged, and joints are malformed with swelling and pain. 

Treatment: 

Our therapeutic centre takes the comprehensive treatment of the combination herbs (internal and external), with acupuncture and massage to get the following purposes: 

(1). Anti-infection and anti-inflammation. 

(2). Regulate the endocrine function. 

(3). Lower the hyperplasia of the connective tissue and reduce the teratogenesis. 

With the above treatments, the pain is relieved; the swelling and the stiffness as well as other symptoms are improved.