If you type “can t’ai chi help with…” into your web search bar, you’ll see a slew of suggestions, ranging from “can t’ai chi help with weight loss?” to “can t’ai chi help with PTSD?” There is no shortage of web results for these topics because t’ai chi is truly an incredible practice with a wide variety of health benefits.
As an instructor of t’ai chi in Northern Colorado, I’ve seen many of my students experience the health benefits of t’ai chi. In today’s blog, I wanted to talk specifically about how t’ai chi helps with arthritis.
Chinese Medicine and Arthritis
In Chinese medicine, arthritis has an interesting name—Bi (which is pronounced “bee” like the stinging insect). Bi liberally means “obstruction,” and the disease got that name because the inflammation of arthritis causes obstruction of the conduits that carry the body’s internal energy, or qi (pronounced “chee”).
Just as there are many types of qi in the body, there are many types of Bi Syndromes. Heat Bi is a hot, inflammatory arthritis, like gout. Bone Bi the bane of senior citizens, is a condition where the bones ache and the joints become malformed and inflamed. But the granddaddy of them all is called Wind Damp Bi, so named because it flares up in cold, windy, damp weather, and because it often settles in the low back, is often called “lumbago.”
Regardless of the type of arthritis, when qi becomes stuck, those afflicted suffer unrelenting pain that can be quite severe. Just as in Western medicine, Eastern doctors have many methods for treating their arthritis patients.
Eastern Medicine Treatments for Arthritis (Bi)
Acupuncture and herbs are two of the most common approaches employed to treat the causes and symptoms of arthritis. But many Oriental medicine physicians also prescribe physical exercises for their Bi Syndrome patients, especially t’ai chi. How does t’ai chi work in the treatment of arthritis? Is it an effective treatment? Can it cure this dreaded disease?
If nothing else, the practice of t’ai chi is designed to open up the qi-conveying conduits of the body, the “channels” or “meridians.” Its slow, gentle movements encourage qi to flow along the channels in the right amount and in the right direction. So when a patient exercises in this way, the places where the energy is stuck begin to open up.
When qi moves, the body’s natural healing substances, especially blood and synovial fluid, can also flow to the site of inflammation and begin the healing process. These healing substances serve as a balm, which like oil applied to a rusty hinge, can restore movement and function to a stiff joint.
In addition, t’ai chi works on the diseased organ systems that caused the inflammatory condition. In Chinese medicine, diseases associated with the Kidney meridian are often linked to Bi Syndrome. The waist-turning movement of t’ai chi massages and stretches both the kidneys themselves as well as the channel pathways that flow to and from those organs. It is a form of physical therapy that helps alleviate symptoms and restore the patient’s overall health.
While t’ai chi can ultimately bring relief to arthritis sufferers, many patients are disappointed that relief is often neither immediate nor long-lasting. Patients who have suffered from the effects of Bi Syndrome for years may have permanent joint damage. For those patients, t’ai chi cannot guarantee a cure.
That being said, the benefits of t’ai chi can be cumulative and powerful if patients are willing to persevere and continue their practice. If a patient is willing to be steadfast and continue exercising, even if no permanent relief comes, over time the pain will lessen, and the patient will be able to move with more ease.
Can I still do t’ai chi for arthritis even if I am also being treated with Western medicine?
As a practitioner of Oriental medicine, I am often asked, “Can I still do t’ai chi for my arthritis, even if I am taking Western drugs to treat it?” The answer is a resounding, “Yes!” T’ai chi will act in concert with standard Western treatments, and in many cases will allow patients to gradually reduce their reliance on analgesics and other medications which can have long-term, deleterious effects on their internal organs.
So, I encourage my patients to continue their doctor-prescribed regimen while they learn and practice t’ai chi by quoting a saying from one of my Oriental medicine professors, “If you have two good legs, why only stand on one?”
Join Me for a T’ai Chi Class in Greeley
T’ai chi is a wonderful form of exercise that can aid the body in healing. Its practice can help arthritis sufferers find relief from their illness and live a life with more ease. If this health benefit seems appealing to you and you want to try a new martial arts or fitness form, I’d love to see you at a Northern Colorado Ruler T’ai Chi™ class or workshop. You can also join the online Chen Tuan Society for exclusive online content and to be the first to know about upcoming events.
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