05/08/2026
Do you often experience joint pain and muscle tightness during rainy days? The chilly and humid weather could be the cause. When the humidity rises outside, it joins with the humidity inside your body and weighs you down. When it is cold, dampness inside your body congeals and the joints in your body stiffen which can cause achiness and pain. This is why some people experience more pain when it is rainy season. Bi syndrome is a syndrome characterized by obstruction of Qi and Blood in the meridians and it is often referred as arthralgia syndrome. When you experience Bi syndrome, you may have symptoms such as soreness, pain, numbness, limited movement, heavy sensation, swelling, and stiffness. There are many types of Bi syndrome, but it is more common to get invasion of wind, cold, damp during rainy season. It can affect any joints in your body; spine, wrist, knee, ankle etc.
Acupuncture is very helpful for the treatment of Bi syndrome by draining the dampness and can improve the blood and qi circulation. Herbal medicine is an excellent addition to acupuncture. One of the formulas that can be used for wind cold damp is Juan Bi Tang. This formula warms the body and disperses cold, removes wind dampness, eliminate painful obstruction, promotes qi and blood circulation and stops pain. It is often modified to suit the body condition. Moxibustion is a great treatment to warm the channels and disperse cold.
Here are some of the tips other than getting treatments:
- massage the joints and muscles with warming oils. Include essential oil like ginger, frankincense, turmeric, vetiver, rosemary and clove.
- always layer up and protect your body from exposure to wind cold. Wear a scarf around your neck, and wear socks.
- Stimulate your wei qi (defensive qi) by dry brushing. This improves the lymph flow
- Therapeutic exercises like qi gong, tai chi and yoga are very helpful
- Avoid cold drinks and food, raw food and dairy to avoid accumulation of internal dampness. Recommended to take hot tea, soups, stew and include warming spices such as ginger, cumin, cloves and cinnamon. A warming plant-based turmeric latte or masala tea is perfect for chilly days!💕