In the West, anti-inflammatory drugs are commonly prescribed for arthritis. In the East, acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, with their thousand-year-old history, are the major health care modalities used to fight joint and muscular-skeletal disorders including arthritis. These ancient therapies are still used because they are empirically effective, and have stood the test of time. Now they are standing to meet the tests of Western medicine.

Anti-inflammatory drugs are the main treatment that conventional medical doctors prescribe for chronic inflammatory arthritis. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and gold compounds; and steroid-based drugs such as steroids and immune-suppressive drugs are widely used for arthritis. Long-term use of these medications can produce side effects such as stomach irritation, gastritis and ulcers. An exercise program and physical therapy are helpful for arthritis patients to maintain a satisfactory level of activity. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids are provided for short-term relief.

In traditional Chinese medicine, the condition that is congruent with arthritis is called "Bi syndrome." Bi syndrome manifests as pain, soreness, or numbness of muscles, tendons and joints, and is the result of the body being "invaded" by the external climatologically factors of Wind, Cold, Heat, and/or Dampness. The symptoms manifested by the individual depend on which external pathogenic factor is strongest.

Scientifically proving the validity of these ancient concepts is challenging, but promising. More and more scientifically designed clinical studies support the use of acupuncture for arthritis. One study examined the effects of acupuncture on 32 arthritis patients waiting for knee replacement surgery. After nine weeks, patients receiving acupuncture treatments reported a decrease in pain, while pain increased in untreated patients. The patients with acupuncture treatments were able to walk farther and faster, compared with the untreated group. Another study at the University of Maryland School of Medicine found that 12 patients with arthritis of the knee improved significantly after acupuncture treatments. These results encouraged the researchers to do a larger study, which is currently under way.
 
Modern scientific research has also revealed the mechanisms, which provide relief for arthritis patients. Studies show that acupuncture can stimulate the production of endorphins (natural pain-killing hormones in the brain), and the anti-inflammatory hormone adrenalcorticotropin. Somehow, the acupuncture needles trigger the body to heal it by producing hormones that reduce pain and inflammation. Acupuncture can then be used on an ongoing basis to prevent re-occurrence of arthritis once it has been successfully cured.