Symptoms and Causes

• If you experience joint pain, sometimes accompanied by fatigue, muscle aches and lack of appetite, you could be suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, but it is important to get a doctor's diagnosis.
  
  Although the exact cause of the disease has yet to be determined and is still being researched, it is widely believed that heredity could be a factor. Environmental triggers, as well as stress, can cause the immune system to become overactive, which leads to the inflammation that characterizes rheumatoid arthritis. Symptoms can be chronic and prolonged, or you might just experience intermittent flareups.
  
  

History of Treatment

• The use of willow bark to treat rheumatism dates as far back as Hippocrates and Pliny the Elder, both of whom recommended a decoction of the bark to relieve pain. Willow bark contains salycilate, a known pain reliever. For centuries, Chinese herbalists have prescribed a combination of herbs to treat the inflammation and pain of arthritis. One such herbal formula, called Qianjin Yaofang, dates back to 652 C.E. and includes, among other herbs, peony, licorice, ginseng, cinnamon, rehmannia, achyranthes and loranthus.
  
  

Current Treatments

• Modern herbalists use a variety of time-tested formulas to treat patients with rheumatoid arthritis. A study by Dr. Wang Zhaoming, reported in the Chinese Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, tested the efficacy of the formula Fengshi Hantong Pian (Rheumatism Cold Pain Tablets), which consists of tang-kuei, chiang-huo, cinnamon, red peony, aconite, astragalus, clematis, coix, scute, sinemonium, deer antler, lycium and corydalis. About 70 percent of the subjects experienced significant pain relief after 10 days of using the herbs.
  
  

Nutrition

• Making some adjustments in your diet can also play an important part in relieving arthritis symptoms. According to the journal Rheumatology International, participants in a German study led by Dr. Adam Olaf, reported a marked reduction in symptoms of tender and swollen joints after following a vegetarian diet supplemented with fish oil. The vegetarian diet was helpful because the arachidonic acid found in meat and dairy products can aggravate inflammation in arthritis sufferers, whereas the Omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil work to reduce inflammation.
  
  

Expert Insight

• According to Brian B. Carter, author of "Powerful Body, Peaceful Mind: How to Heal Yourself with Foods, Herbs, and Acupressure," Chinese herbal formulas can be very powerful, and should only be used under the supervision of a licensed herbalist, who can prescribe an herbal formula suited to your individual needs.