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Knock Out Knee Pain with Chinese Herbal Medicine 

25% of Americans Have “Bad Knees” and Struggle with Knee Pain.

Got a “bad knee?” If so, you’re like over 25% of Americans who curse their knees, struggling daily with arthritis and other painful joint conditions. While some people turn to surgeries or medications to manage their knee pain, these are invasive, costly, and come with a range of undesirable side-effects.

The good news is that there are other options for finding pain relief for even the most stubborn knee pain. Along with therapeutic exercise, an anti-inflammatory diet, and holistic therapies like acupuncture, Chinese medicine offers several simple and effective solutions.

Let’s explore the unique way that Chinese medicine approaches knee pain and learn more about the natural products that can help.

How Does Chinese Medicine Treat Knee Pain?

Methods like acupuncture and medical massage are common ways to treat knee pain in Chinese medicine. But in addition to these methods, Chinese herbal medicine can be used to directly relieve pain, encourage healthy blood flow, and calm the mind.

For a well-rounded approach, Chinese herbal medicine also attacks knee pain with these key strategies:

Remove Stagnation and Heal Past Injuries

Blood and qi stagnation are the main causes of pain anywhere in the body, and the knees are no different. But what is “stagnation?”

To our Western medicine minds, this may sound like a foreign idea, but stagnation is anything that is slowing or stopping movement in the area. After an injury occurs, the body works hard to repair the tissue. But in many cases, we don’t give ourselves the proper amount of care or time to recover. This leads to issues in the area that cause scar tissue, swelling, blood clots, or structural changes. The result is stagnation – and pain.

Chinese medicine uses herbs that move blood, soften scar tissue, dissolve adhesions, and encourage full healing of the area to relieve pain and prevent further injuries.

Cool and Clear Inflammation in the Joint

If your knee pain feels hot, swollen, achy, or “angry,” there is likely some inflammation at play. Inflammation is normal and even helpful during an initial injury as it helps the body respond and repair. But when inflammation occurs (or lingers) after the initial injury, or with knee pain caused by overuse, it is no longer helpful. Chronic inflammation in the knee joint leads to increased pain, irritation, and a lengthier healing process.

Certain Chinese herbs offer a cooling, calming effect to the muscles, bone, and tendons of the knee. This relieves pain while giving the body a chance to fully heal the area.

In Chinese medicine, the main organs of the body represent more than just the organ themselves. They can refer to the organ itself, a paired organ, a sense organ, an acupuncture channel, certain muscles and tendons, an emotion, and more.

There are a few different organ systems that are closely tied to the health and stability of the knees. The Gallbladder system, for instance, can impact the strength and flexibility of the tendons. The Urinary Bladder channel runs directly through the neck and back to the back of the knee and can be implicated in situations where there is also spinal pain.

The Kidney system is most closely linked to chronic knee pain. The Kidneys “rule” the knees, as well as bone, and can be an important factor to consider in any knee issue where there is weakness, stiffness, arthritis, or swelling. Because of this close tie, many Chinese herbal formulas include herbs that both relieve pain and support the entire Kidney system.

No More “Bad Knees:” Best Chinese Medicine’s Favorite Formulas to Relieve Knee Pain

Many people are seeking a more holistic and less-invasive way to manage their knee pain than surgeries or drugs. Thankfully, Chinese herbal medicine is a safe and effective way to find natural relief! Here we’ll take a look at some of the best formulas to improve knee pain from within, as well as some topical formulas that can stop the pain in an instant.

Oral Herbal Supplement for Knee Pain


Relieve Severe Pain – Xiao Huo Luo Dan

Xiao Huo Luo Dan is a formula that is best for more severe knee pain related to arthritis, bone spurs, or injuries. It contains herbs that break up stagnation in the joint and allow for better circulation through the area.


Restore Weak Knees – Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang

Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang is a classic formula that is frequently prescribed for issues like low back and knee pain due to overuse, fatigue, old injuries, or old age. In these cases, both the structure of the knee and the Kidney system as a whole need support to fully recover and heal. This formula comes in both pills and as a convenient tincture.


Mild Daily Joint Support – Triple Joint Relief

The Triple Joint Relief tea from Bravo Teas offers a simple and healthy way to restore your joint health each day. This tea is a powerful blend of nerve-soothing herbs that calm pain, reduce inflammation, and encourage healthy circulation to heal the knee and other joints. It is a great choice for anyone wanting to improve their joint health or prevent issues like arthritis from developing or worsening.


Topical Herbal Analgesics for Knee Pain


All-Around Care for the Knee – Zheng Gu Shui

Zheng Gu Shui means “correct the bone water” and it does just that! This alcohol-based liniment penetrates the knee to help improve the health of the bone and joint as a whole. It is a great product to have on hand for any kind of musculoskeletal pain, arthritis, strains, bruises, or general achiness.


Warm Relief – Po Sum Oil

Po Sum On is a delightful analgesic oil that has a wide range of uses. It is mostly recommended for muscle and joint pain, especially the kind that feels stiff and worsens in wet or cold weather. Rub this oil around the painful areas of the knee, as well as the muscles above and below the pain to encourage warming circulation through the entire area.


Cool and Calm – White Flower Oil

If you’ve got achy, red, inflamed joints that feel worse after a hot bath or shower, after activity, or in hot weather, White Flower is the best choice for you. This potent oil quickly cools inflammation and offers calming relief. For best results, mix a few drops of White Flower oil with a carrier oil and massage around the entire knee joint. It can also be applied to the low back. When you’re not using it for knee pain, dab some under the nose to open blocked nasal passages or behind the ears when you have a headache.


Knock Out Knee Pain the Natural Way

If you’re struggling with knee pain, rest assured that there are natural options for you to regain your joint health and reclaim your active lifestyle. Knee pain can be a stubborn and tricky condition to manage, but with the help of holistic care professionals and Chinese herbal medicine, you can take steps towards a healthier, pain-free path to wellness.

Want to learn more about how Chinese medicine can help you find relief? Visit our blog or shop our full range of Chinese herbal medicines for joint pain.

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