If you or someone you love is plagued by the pain and stiffness symptoms of osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis; if you or they have tried seemingly EVERYTHING out there to try to get relief, I highly encourage you to read this article to the end. I PROMISE you that you WILL learn something new. And, this information about relieving the symptoms of arthritis with Chinese herbs could just change your life or the life of your loved one/s.
First, let’s take a look at what doesn’t work and understand why.
What do NSAIDS, COX-2 inhibitor drugs, steroids, narcotic pain pills and even OTC analgesics have in common? The answer is that they all “work” by disrupting the body’s natural pain signaling responses. None of them actually heal any underlying causes of the arthritis symptoms. They just trick your nerves, brain, and body into thinking everything is ok for a relatively short period of time. So, since these options don’t and can’t actually solve the problem, a person must remain on them, and often at increasing dosages to maintain the same effects. That’s when there are real problems with this method because regular and increasing use of most of these drugs carries with it increased risk of dangerous side effects.
COX-2 inhibitor drugs work by reducing the prostaglandins produced by the action of COX-2 enzyme.[1] This artificial reduction of prostaglandin production caused by the drug temporarily relieves pain. However, drug-induced limitation of COX-2 also increases the risks of vascular events such as heart attacks and strokes, because two of the main benefits of the COX-2 enzyme (1. limiting thrombosis and 2. promoting vasodilation) are artificially restricted by the drug.[2]
NSAIDS also work by blocking enzymes in the body that help make prostaglandins. And, as we just saw with the COX-2 inhibitors above, this means that the vital and positive functions of these enzymes for proper gastrointestinal and kidney functions are also blocked. Because of this, extended use of these drugs can cause ulcers, stomach and kidney problems.
Steroids work by artificially reducing the activity of the immune system, therefore, temporarily reducing inflammation by depressing cortisol levels. Artificial suppression of the body’s immune system can lead to host of side effects from infection to osteoporosis, insomnia, and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) to name just a few.[3]
Narcotic pain pills or opioid drugs work by binding to opioid receptors in the brain, spinal cord, and other areas of the body. They reduce the sending of pain messages to the brain and reduce feelings of pain. These drugs are highly addictive and can cause severe side effects. They should be used with extreme caution and care or avoided if at all possible. We are facing an epidemic of addition of opioid drugs, which can too often lead to heroin addiction and death. I have personally lost a few good friends to this kind of addition in my short 40 years - friends who were good people and good parents who became addicted to pain medication after an accident or injury for which they were (inappropriately, in my opinion) prescribed narcotic painkillers. Please understand how powerfully psychoactive these drugs are and know that physical dependency and addiction can occur very rapidly.
Even the comparatively lightweight OTC analgesics like Icy-Hot, Ben-Gay, Biofreeze, Tiger Balm and others all contain high amounts of either Camphor or Menthol or a blend of both. These ingredients “work” by overwhelming the nerves of the skin so that the pain signal is diminished for a period of time. These, like all the others listed above DO NOTHING to heal the underlying cause of your symptoms. And, even Camphor and Menthol can have side effects for certain people. Products containing high percentages of Camphor need to be used with caution and care. Patients can become very sick if they swallow chest rub made with camphor. Convulsions can begin within five minutes of ingestion. Excessive amounts of camphor rubbed on the chest can cause seizures as well. As little as 10ml of Camphor can be lethal for children when swallowed. In addition to seizures, symptoms of camphor poisoning include nausea, vomiting, agitation and stomachaches.
Furthermore, doctors at the American Academy of Family Physicians report that Camphor has no redeeming medical value. The poisons in the oil of Camphor can transmit through the skin, making it a dangerous solution for pregnant women. Camphor can transfer through the placenta to the fetus, causing birth defects and stillborn births. Camphorated oil can be particularly dangerous and can cause birth defects even when inhaled.[4]
One final note on Camphor: it is exceptionally dangerous for people suffering from Parkinson’s disease. It interferes with the medicine used in Parkinson's and increases the toxicity level. It can turn out to be very poisonous in such cases.
So, now that we understand why all of these above options do not present safe or long term solutions to the problem of arthritis symptoms – What is a person suffering from the daily pain and restricted mobility associated with arthritis to do? We are going to answer this question. But, you must understand the way pain works in order to understand the solution.
Understanding Acute and Chronic pain
In an acute injury situation, the pain experienced from a simple cut or bruise subsides pretty quickly relative to the amount of time these injuries take to completely heal. This is because your body produces its natural painkilling chemicals (called endorphins and norephinephrine) to help your body continue to function as close to normally as possible. These painkilling chemicals are able to dull the pain signals relatively quickly to relieve your pain.
Unfortunately, acute pain can become chronic pain when repeated activation of pain receptors (called NDMA receptors) makes them more excitable and/or sensitive. When this happens, the receptors require less input to receive a pain signal.
Why Mainstream “Solutions” Can't Solve the Problem of Chronic Pain
When these NDMA receptors become hypersensitive in this manner, they will require ever increasing amounts of input to dull this signal, so that over time your natural painkilling mechanism will exhaust itself trying to keep up with these oversensitive receptors. The result of this is that your pain and inflammatory responses become chronic, and (after exhausting your natural painkilling reserves) your pain becomes increasingly resistant to conventional pain-relief methods and products.
This chronic inflammation can destroy your joints completely over time—and pain relievers (like NSAIDs and COX-2 inhibitors) are ineffective against this gradual degeneration. Although they may help somewhat with your chronic pain symptoms, ultimately, they are powerless to repair this biological pain receptor and joint damage.
Even if you could rely on the pain-relieving drugs to get continual relief, we have discussed above that many have serious side effects, especially from longterm usage. COX-2 inhibitors (like Vioxx and Celebrex) have been shown to cause an increased risk of heart attacks. NSAIDs (like ibuprofen and Naproxen) can cause bleeding ulcers and do tremendous damage to your digestive system and kidneys.
Most importantly, these medicines are unable to keep the chronic inflammation from continuing to cause cartilage degradation and they have NO POWER to reverse the process.
If you have suffered with chronic injury and pain, then you probably already know the doctors will offer you little more in terms of a solution for this than dangerous medicines, side-effect laden immune-modulators like steroids or other marginally effective drugs or analgesics.
Sadly, mainstream medicine’s contributions to chronic injury and pain have been ineffective and fleeting at best and highly addictive or even deadly at worst.
Erasing years of pain and healing injuries from the inside out with Chinese Herbs for Arthritis
If you're still reading this, you understand the limitations and dangers of prescription and OTC drugs, and most likely, you have already begun to explore more natural solutions for pain and injury treatment. Maybe you have even used supplements like glucosamine, chondroitin, or MSM that have promised pain relief and support in joint regeneration. If so, maybe you are already noticing some improvements from these nutritional supports, and that’s great!
But, if you haven't really been able to achieve the results you are looking for—then Plum Dragon’s Dit Da Jow formulas may be exactly what you have been looking for. These formulas are 100% herbal and based on the ancient wisdom of Chinese medicine handed down through generations of soldiers, martial artists, Chinese medicine doctors and herbalists who closely guarded these secret herbal formulas and often even held them as sacred due to the powerful healing effects of these herbal mixtures on trauma injury and pain. The herbs that comprise these formulas have since been scientifically proven to work synergistically to help soothe inflammation, reduce swelling, and boost circulation—thereby assisting in the formation of new cartilage, sinew and bone. Skeptical? Keep reading. We will get to the science, and you will understand how this herbal medicine works.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), arthritis is a condition of “stuckness,” particularly “blood stuckness,” where circulation to joints, bones and ligaments has been impaired. Valerie Blankenship, author of Western and Chinese Herbal Medicine for Arthritis explains that "in TCM, the most important property that an herb can offer" toward relieving arthritis, is "its ability to 'move blood.' TCM explains that chi is our vital energy; also know as nerve force or biological nervous energy. Without chi, blood doesn’t move. Without the movement of blood, you don’t have chi."
In western modern medicine, as well as western herbal medicine, two types of arthritis are often differentiated. Osteoarthritis is marked by symptoms of inflammation, pain and bony changes to the tissue. In many cases, there are also painful calcifications and bone spurs as well. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition that usually involves a great deal of inflammation and, if it is severe, can be very disfiguring. Circulation and inflammation are the main issues to address for both conditions to alleviate pain and stiffness. For Rheumatoid Arthritis, an herbalist would also want to look at using additional herbs to enhance digestion and elimination, and to modulate the immune system.[5]
Bioactive Compounds present in Dit Da Jow
Let's take a look at what science reveals about the ingredients in Dit Da Jow to see if it will address the central issues present in arthritic conditions: inflammation and circulation.
Many bioactive compounds are formed in the process of traditionally prepared and aged Dit Da Jow formulas. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS), one study[6] found the following partial list of bioactive compounds:
Acetic acid – antiseptic
Acetoglyceride – skin conditioner
Columbianetin – anti-inflammatory
Coumarin – anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, analgesic
Rhododenrol – increase skin elasticity
Vanillin – actibacterial
Chrysophanic acid – purported antibacterial and skin conditioning agent
Salicylic acid – antimicrobial, skin softener, treats superficial inflammation
Vasodialator – increases blood flow
Unknown large molecules – purported benefits to bone health
This combination of bioactive compounds is vey effective for treatment of impact trauma and pain. The combination of Coumarin and Salicylic acid, specifically, is especially potent for controlling inflammation, circulation and pain.
When this powerful synergistic blend is applied to the skin at the place of injury and/or pain, these bioactive compounds and herbal nutrition have been demonstrated to permeate into the body through the skin, into the subcutaneous tissue quickly after administration and to remain at the site of the injury for approximately an hour before being cleared away by the micro-blood circulation system. This means that the nutritive mixture can have direct contact with the site of the injury and pain for nearly an hour before being moved away by the body.[7]
Based on this evidence, we often recommend that customers apply our Dit Da Jow formulas several times within one hour 2-3 times daily for best results. In this way, the injured area can be literally saturated with nutritive bioactive compounds delivering potent healing to affected tissue. We think this can be more effective for some than ingesting oral supplements that have to make their way through the digestive tract and the blood stream only to be delivered in very small, diluted amounts to the injured area over time. And, this direct application of nutrition to the site of injury is also superior to ingestion of pharmaceutical NSAIDs and Cox-2 Inhibitors that only mask pain signals and cause serious side effects.
Herbal Ingredients in Dit Da Jow Formulas
Ho Family Dit Da Jow: Several of the herbs in the Ho Family Dit Da Jow formula (Dang Gui, Fu Zi Zhi, and Chuan Xiong to name a few) have been shown in animal studies to act on receptors that are specific to chronic pain and calm overly excited nerves. As stated above, this action helps to restore normal pain responses, and, therefore, provides more effective, longer-term relief.
Customers who have used this formula have reported greater range of motion, decreased stiffness, and reduced pain as well as many reports of complete healing and recovery from traumatic and chronic injury and pain situations. Many customers report feeling relief within as little as 20 minutes after the first application, and many of those who have used this formula systematically as directed for several weeks are able to heal the underlying injury that was causing their pain in the first place.
Our most popular formula for managing symptoms of Arthritis pain, however, is:
Ancestors Advanced Conditioning Formula.
Take a look at some of the powerful ingredients contained in this formula:
Qian Nian Jian: Strengthens tendons and bones to relieve pain deep inside the extremities.
Zi Ran Tong: One of the most important substances in the trauma departments of hospitals in China and used for the treatment of external and traumatic injuries with swelling, pain, inflammation and bruises. Clinical applications include sprains, strains, contusions, and bone fractures.
A study of 106 patients with fractured bones were treated with an herbal preparation containing Zi Ran Tong with marked improvement in 79 patients, moderate improvement in 15 patients, and minimal improvement in 9 patients.[8]
Long Gu: Promotes the generation of flesh and healing of wounds.
San Leng: One of the strongest blood-moving herbs that strongly invigorates circulation to break open any stagnation. Disperses Qi and relieves pain.
In one report, 10 grams of San Leng administered via herbal decoction demonstrated marked effectiveness to inhibit aggregation of platelets and prolong thrombin time.[9]
E Zhu: Strongly works to break up chronic or severe blood stasis ("stuckness"); activates Qi and relieves pain.
Antibiotic properties as have been shown inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus, B-hemolytic streptococcus, coli, Salmonella typhi, and Vibrio cholera.[10]
Essential oil of E Zhu prolongs the aggregation of platelets and prevents the formation of thrombi.[11]
Shen Jin Cao: Promotes relaxation of the tendons and relieves trauma-related pain.
Hai Feng Teng: Alleviates pain from traumatic injury and treats painful joints.
Wei Ling Xian: Disperses and dispels wind and dampness from the muscles, penetrates and opens peripheral channels and collaterals and relieves bi zheng (arthritic symptoms). Clinically, it is best for musculoskeletal pain, spasms and cramps of the muscles, numbness and pain in the extremities and difficulty with extension and flexion.
Cardiovascular effects have been demonstrated – water extract of Wei Ling Xian has a protective effect against lack of oxygen and blood perfusion to the cardiac muscles in rats.[12]
Jiang Huang:“Breaks” blood stasis ("stuckness") to activate Qi and blood circulation; opens channels and collaterals to relieve pain; reduces swelling.
Anti-inflammatory effects demonstrated by administration of 30mg/kg of curcumin or 60 mg/kg of Jiang Huang decoction that had a marked anti-inflammatory effect in rats. Effect was similar to phenylbutazone.[13]
Antiplatelet effects shown by administration of Curcumin at various doses (20,40,60 and 80 mg/kg/day) that produced marked action to inhibit aggregation of platelets.[14] [15]
Ji Xue Teng: Treats musculoskeletal pain by unblocking stagnation in peripheral channels and collaterals.
Sedative effects have been demonstrated in rats injected with Ji Xue Teng.[16]
Cardiovascular effects have been shown in rabbits and dogs. Administration of Herbal decoction of Je Xue Teng resulted in lowered blood pressure.[17]
Dang Gui Wei: Commonly used in trauma departments in China along with blood-activating herbs to treat bruises, fractured or broken bones, swelling, and tendon injuries. Tonifies blood; invigorates circulation; stops pain; disperses coldness; disperses stagnation; promotes nourishment in the channels and tendons. Treats numbness and pain in the limbs and extremities.
Cardiovascular effects: One study of frogs demonstrated that intravenous injection of Dang Gui was associated initially with an inhibitory influence on the heart, followed by a negative chronotropic effect and positive inotropic effect. It improves overall blood circulation by decreasing the whole blood specific viscosity, or improving the hemorrheological changes in “blood stagnation.” It also has antiarrythmic effect and is associated with reduction of plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and a decreased risk of atherosclerosis, as demonstrated by laboratory studies.[18] [19] [20] [21]
Pain: Local injection of a 5% Dang Gui solution was found to have satisfactory effects to relieve post-surgical pain in patients who had chest operation. Out of 105 patients, 84 had an excellent response, 16 had good response, and 5 had poor response.[22]
Chuan Lian Zi: Moves Qi and Relieves Pain; hernia pain
Hua Jiao: Powerful action to stop pain.
Anesthetic and analgesic: Water extract of Hua Jiao has local anesthetic and analgesic effects as demonstrated in mice. Prolonged use is associated with tolerance.[23]
Antibiotic: It has an inhibitory effect against B-hemolytic streptococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, Diplococcus pneumonia, Bacillus dysenteriae, Salmonella typhi, and some dermatophytes.[24]
Gu Sui Bu: Promotes mending of bones and relieves pain; dispels blood stasis and relives swelling.
Osteoarthritis: Administration of Gu Sui Bu has demonstrated beneficial effects in 160 mice with osteoarthritis.[25]
Calcium absorption: Gu Sui Bu increases bone absorption of calcium. It is commonly used to treat patients with bone fractures.[26] Important note: One of the major issues to look at when dealing with both Osteo or Rheumatoid arthritis is calcium and mineral consumption and the body’s ability to digest the minerals that are consumed. Calcium and magnesium in a tablet form do not digest easily, and can in fact cause kidney and gallstones, as well as bone spurs. Using a Jow formula like this with this herbal ingredient can help to increase calcium absorption right in those areas most negatively affected by the arthritic condition.
Testimonials from Plum Dragon Customers:
So, what are Plum Dragon customers saying about their experience using the best selling Dit Da Jow formulas for arthritis pain and stiffness? Here are a few customer testimonials:
"I’m Licensed Massage Therapist (more then 20 years of experience) and I was a Karate coach for a 10 years...I did a lot of research for an alternative I can use for my Medical Massage, Sport injuries and joint pain relief supplements. I’m using the Ancestors Advanced Conditioning Formula and the Ho family Dit Da Jow. I’m using it on myself because I have hand arthritis and a couple of broken bones. Your product worked magically. I also use the Ho Family Dit Da Jow on my clients (with their permission), and I’ve had wonderful reviews." Koch (verified owner)
"After 15 minutes of massaging the Jow [Ancestors Advanced Conditioning Formula], [my wife] had drastic reduction in pain and after a half hour a noticeable reduction in swelling. (I have before and after pics and it’s effects are undeniable.)
In conclusion, buy it! Every time I use it on a new injury, I feel silly and that it’s not going to work, because I grew up with western medicine philosophy. Rubbing a potion on your skin to become stronger and heal faster is from legends and fantasies. My doubts are smashed every time. Awesome stuff! DDJ will always have a place in my medicine cabinet and first aid kits." Gerard Lee (verified owner)
Tomm Voss applying Ancestors Advanced formula in practice session March 2017.
Tomm Voss, 2016 World Champion Escrima Stick Fighter and Hollywood stunt actor uses the Ancestors Advanced Conditioning formula regularly. He had this to say about our formulas recently: ""As an athlete, Martial Artist and as a holistic health and fitness professional, I can say that Plum Dragon Herbs produces the highest quality formulas. Plum Dragon's Ho Family Dit Da Jow, Bruise Juice and the Ancestors Advanced Conditioning Formula have helped me greatly speed up and improve my own healing and recovery process of bruises and aches from training and competition. The Ancestors formula haa also helped my parents alleviate arthritis, joint pains and improve their mobility as a result. I highly recommend it."
Lasting Healing From Arthritis is a Journey
Finding your way to lasting healing from an arthritic condition will take time, patience, dedication and good information. While we hear success stories on an almost daily basis from customers who are either successfully managing their symptoms on an ongoing basis with these natural products, or who have found their way to total healing, there is no magic pill (or Jow) that will instantaneously reverse the longterm and often systemic symptoms and damage suffered from arthritis. I do, however, want to offer you and your loved ones the hope that others have indeed been able to make dramatic changes over time in their health and lives by incorporating the powerful healing benefits of these herbs. And, as always we are here to help however we can, please don't hesitate to contact us anytime with your questions, comments or concerns.
Be well. And, be pain free!
[1] http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168010201002899
[2] Segev G and Katz RJ, Selective COX-2 inhibitors and risk of cardiovascular events, Hospital Physician 2004; 40(2):39-46.
[3] https://www.hss.edu/conditions_steroid-side-effects-how-to-reduce-corticosteroid-side-effects.asp
[4] Camphor Dangers. http://www.livestrong.com/article/111501-camphor-dangers/
[5] http://www.sagewomanherbs.com/general-info/article-center/western-and-chinese-herbal-medicine-for-arthritis/
[6] Published on May 20, 2014 This is a presentation at the joint meeting of the Society for Economic Botany and Society of Ethnobiology: “The Energy of People, Places, and Life”. Cherokee, NC. May 11-14, 2014. Author(s): BOUDELL, Jere -Department of Natural Sciences, Clayton State University, Joseph M. MIKULA -Department of Natural Sciences, Clayton State University, and Sifu Wayne D. BELONOHA -Wai’s Kung Fu
[7]Wang, Yugang, Lele Li, Huiying Li, Zhaoyun Zhu, Lei Hua, Fan Lei, Michael M. Kheir, and Lijun Du. “Transdermal permeation of geniposide in the herbal complex liniment in vivo and in vitro.” International Journal of Pharmaceutics 392, no. 1-2 (2010): 72-77. doi:10.1016/j.ijpharm.2010.03.029
[8] Jiang Su Zhong Yi (Jiangsu Chinese Medicine), 1958; 7:33
[9] Chang Yong Zhong Yao Cheng Fen Yu Yao Li Shou Ce (A Handbook of the Composition and Pharmacology of Chinese Drugs), 1994; 175:176
[10] CA, 1970; 73:6354n
[11] Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Fang Zhi Yan Jiu Xue Guan Zhi Liao (Research on Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disorders Using Integrated and Chinese and Western Medicines), 1977; (3):47, 50.
[12] Ha Er Bing Yi Ke Da Xue Xue Bao (Journal of Haerbing University of Medicine), 1980; (2):7
[13] Zhong Cao Yao (Chinese Herbal Medicine), 1991; 22(3):141
[14] Di Yu Jun Yi Da Xue Xue Bao (Journal of First Military University of Medicine), 1990; 10(4):364
[15] Biochemical Pharmacology, 58(7):1167-72, 1999 Oct 1
[16] Zhong Yao Xue (Chinese Herbology), 1988; 560:561
[17] Zhong Cao Yao Yao Li Xue (Herbology of Chinese Medicinals), 1983; 200
[18] Jiang Su Zhong Yi (Jiangsu Chinese Medicine), 1965: (3):22
[19] Xue, JX. et al. Effects of the combination of astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. (AM), angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels (TAS), cyperus rotundus I. (CR), ligusticum chuanxiong Hort (LC) and paeonia veitchii lynch (PV) on the hemorrheological changes in “blood stagnating” rats. Chung Kuo Chung Yao Tsa Chih; 19(2):108-10, 128. Feb 1994
[20] Lan Zhou Yi Xue Yuan Xue Bao (Journal of Lanzhou University of Medicine), 1989; 15(3):125
[21] Zhong Cao Yao Tong Xun (Journal of Chinese Herbal Medicine), 1976; (3):30
[22] Xin Yi Yao Xue Za Zhi (New Journal of Medicine and Herbology), 1976; 12:26
[23] Zhong Guo Zhong Yao Za Zhi (People’s Republic of China Journal of Chinese Herbology), 1991; 16(8):493
[24] Zhong Yao Xue (Chinese Herbology), 1998; 382:384
[25] Zhong Yao Tong Bao (Journal of Chinese Herbology), 1987; 12(10):41
[26] Zhong Yao Xue (Chinese Herbology), 1998; 802:803