Winter Body Aches

As an acupuncturist, I hear this all the time : "My arthritis really acts up in the winter" or "My fibromyalgia always seems so much worse during the winter."  I even hear from dog owners that their furry friends seem stiffer during the colder months!

So why is it that body pains tend to be worsened by the cold, blustery winter months?

In Chinese medicine, many cases of body pain are due to what we call "Cold Bi Syndrome," which loosely translates to "body pain that is aggravated by the cold."

Here's how I like to think about it:  We all know that as things get colder, the molecules which make up said items slow down. So imagine that the molecules in your body slow down a bit in the winter months.   In Chinese medicine, pain is caused by energy not moving properly through the body, and cold can be the cause of this improper flow.

So how does one keep the cold from affecting them?  

• Acupuncture can help keep your Qi flowing properly.
• Chinese herbs can be prescribed to help warm your Qi to counteract the cold and to keep it moving at a proper pace.
• Take warm baths to ease aching joints and bring heat deep into your core.
• Dress warmer!  Don't let yourself get cold!
• Avoid cold drinks as they will cool your Qi too much.  Drink warm drinks such as tea throughout the day to bring heat into your core.

Chinese medicine is really effective at keeping the cold at bay, and teaching our bodies how to keep themselves warm!  Isn't that what we would all like most - to be pain-free not because we took a medication, but because our bodies have relearned how to be pain-free?