Patient's question:
After her wife gave birth, she discovered rheumatism during a postpartum check-up. She wants to ask how to treat postpartum rheumatism.Doctor's answer:
Postpartum rheumatic patients should seek timely treatment upon the recurrence of symptoms. Chinese herbal medicine can be used to dispel wind and nourish blood, which generally will not interfere with the complete recovery of infants and lactating mothers. Patients can use herbs such as Poria, white peony root, Ligusticum chuanxiong, and prepared rehmannia in combination with wind-dispelling herbs like Saposhnikoviae radix and Schizonepeta. In severe cases, insect-derived herbs may be used.If the limbs and joints feel heavy and aching but fixed, without pain or mild pain, accompanied by dry mouth and a lack of thirst, and worsening with changes in weather, it indicates dampness. If there is sweating, aversion to cold, fear of wind, and signs of qi deficiency and yang deficiency, patients should seek timely treatment. It is more challenging to treat if intervention occurs after the newborn is 100 days old. Some patients may still experience symptoms such as whole-body pain, fear of wind, and aversion to cold 3-5 years postpartum.