Can Mulberry Twig in Chinese Medicine Treat Rheumatism? A Full Analysis of Its Benefits, Actions, Contraindications and Side Effects

If you only mention mulberry twig, plenty of people will certainly have no idea what it is. But mention the mulberry tree or mulberry leaf and people will know what you mean. Mulberry twig is simply the branches and leaves of the mulberry tree, often called mulberry stem, and it has great medicinal value and can be used as a Chinese medicinal herb, so what are the benefits, actions and contraindications of mulberry twig? Can it treat rheumatism? What side effects does it have?

I. A brief introduction to mulberry twig

1. Mulberry twig belongs to the plant category. Mulberry twig is wrapped in a layer of bark, and on a single mulberry tree you can see countless mulberry twigs, large and small.

2. Mulberry twig adapts to its growing environment and can be planted in any soil, because its adaptability is relatively strong, and it is also very cold-resistant and not afraid of drought, and even violent wind and rain cannot do much to it.

3. The main distribution range of mulberry twig in China and Europe: it is planted in all regions of our country, from Harbin southward in the northeast; from southern Inner Mongolia to Xinjiang, Qinghai, Gansu and Shaanxi in the northwest; south to Guangdong and Guangxi, east to Taiwan, China; west to Sichuan and Yunnan; with the most cultivation in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

II. The benefits of mulberry twig

1. Mulberry twig's benefit of dispelling wind-dampness

One of mulberry twig's main benefits is dispelling wind-dampness. Nowadays rheumatism has become a common joint complaint among the elderly. My grandmother used to have fairly severe rheumatism and tried many methods without success, until finally a person selling Chinese medicinal herbs told my grandmother that drinking mulberry twig soaked in liquor could dispel wind-dampness, so she followed the prescription, and it really worked.

2. Mulberry twig's benefit of unblocking meridians and collaterals

One of mulberry twig's main benefits is unblocking meridians and collaterals. The meridians and collaterals throughout the human body are the channels that move qi and blood and connect the internal organs with the body surface and all parts of the body, and they are the body's main regulatory system. Within a certain period, the human body needs its meridians and collaterals to be unblocked once, to achieve the effect of clearing qi and blood.

3. Mulberry twig's benefit of moving water qi

One of mulberry twig's main benefits is moving water qi. If the water qi in the body is relatively heavy, you can drink mulberry twig soaked in water to move water qi.

4. Mulberry twig's benefit for soreness, aching and numbness of the neck, back, shoulders, arms and joints

If you feel symptoms of soreness, aching and numbness in the neck, back, shoulders, arms and joints, you can drink mulberry twig soaked in water to relieve them.

5. Can mulberry twig soaked in liquor cure rheumatism?

Mulberry twig soaked in liquor has a certain effect on treating rheumatism. We all know that when the weather changes, some parts of the body of people with rheumatism begin to hurt, so mulberry twig soaked in liquor can play a role in relieving pain.

III. The actions of mulberry twig

1. Mulberry twig's action of treating arm pain

Main usage: take an appropriate amount of mulberry twig, cut it finely, put it in a pot and fry it until fragrant, then decoct it in water and take it.

2. Mulberry twig's action of treating water qi and beriberi

Main usage: take an appropriate amount of mulberry twig, cut it finely and fry it until fragrant, put it in an appropriate amount of water and decoct it and take it. Note: it is best taken on an empty stomach.

3. Mulberry twig's action of treating high blood pressure

Main usage: every day before bed, use mulberry twig and mulberry leaf to soak the feet for 30-40 minutes, but it must be boiled water.

4. Mulberry twig's action of treating cervical spondylosis

Main usage: mulberry twig is suitable for nerve root type cervical spondylosis. The main method is to stew it in soup and drink it; preferably chicken stewed in soup, which can tonify kidney essence and unblock meridians and collaterals.

5. Mulberry twig's action of treating joint impediment pain

Main usage: take an appropriate amount of mulberry twig, add clear water, bring to a boil over fire, then use it to fumigate and wash both feet. Each foot soak should last about 20 minutes, once a day is enough, and it is best to soak the feet before sleeping. Long-term use will improve joint impediment pain.

6. What are the effects of soaking the feet with mulberry twig and ginger?

Soaking the feet with mulberry twig and ginger twig can dispel wind and drive out cold, treat colds, reduce the symptoms of rheumatism and arthritis, and help improve sleep. It is the simplest, most convenient and most money-saving health-preserving trick for winter.

Now everyone is starting to pay attention to health preservation. You can soak your feet in spring, summer, autumn and winter, and the effects of soaking the feet differ in each season. If you add a little Chinese medicine, the effect of soaking the feet is even better. These days the editor also soaks his feet every day; it is a good way to improve sleep.

7. What are the effects of boiling mulberry twig in water and drinking it?

(7.1) If you often have symptoms such as knee soreness and rheumatism on rainy days, you can boil mulberry twig in water to reduce the pain.

(7.2) If you have whole-body itching, relatively dry skin and purpura-like wind rash caused by wind-heat entering the nutritive blood, you can boil it in water together with blood-cooling, blood-nourishing and wind-dispelling medicines such as He Shou Wu (Polygonum multiflorum) and Sheng Di Huang (Rehmannia root) and take it.

IV. Contraindications of mulberry twig

1. Pregnant women must not take mulberry twig, and pregnant women must not eat mulberry twig stewed with meat either. They can eat foods rich in vitamins, such as apples, grapes, mandarin oranges and so on.

2. People with cold fluid binding the lungs must not take mulberry twig; taking it will worsen the condition.

3. People with allergies must not take mulberry twig. If you are allergic to mulberry twig and still take it, it will only worsen the condition and cause red rashes.

4. Mulberry twig must not be taken during menstruation, and women with heavy menstrual flow should avoid using mulberry twig.

V. What side effects does mulberry twig have?

1. In summer it is easy to feel thirsty and easy to get internal heat. Mulberry twig can produce a heat-clearing effect and a water-draining effect, and its anti-itching effect is very remarkable. If pregnant women and women with heavy menstrual flow take mulberry twig, it will produce side effects.

2. Mulberry twig can dispel wind-heat in the blood. For whole-body wind itching caused by wind-heat entering the nutritive blood, if a person with a hot constitution takes it, it will increase the heat-clearing effect; if a person with qi and blood deficiency takes it together with Ji Xue Teng (Spatholobus suberectus) and the like, it can boost qi and nourish blood; if a person with a cold constitution takes it together with Gui Zhi (cassia twig), it will increase the effect of warming the meridians.

VI. What is the difference between tender mulberry twig and mulberry twig in Chinese medicine?

1. Tender mulberry twig is spoken of relative to old mulberry twig. There was once a Chinese medicine book that pointed out that a mulberry twig diameter of 0.5-1.5cm is optimal; the mulberry twig referred to here is tender mulberry twig, while old mulberry twig is the heartwood of old tree trunks and the tree head.

2. The benefits of the two differ, and the emphases of tender mulberry twig and old mulberry twig are not the same. Old mulberry twig mainly treats wind-damp-heat impediment, and is used more by people with soreness, aching and numbness of the shoulders, arms and joints; tender mulberry twig mainly treats by dispelling wind-dampness and has the benefit of benefiting the joints.

VII. How mulberry twig is prepared

Harvest in early summer, remove the leaves, wash clean, soak in water, and after it has been moistened through, cut it into small sections, then dry it in the sun and it can be preserved.

Note: when preserving mulberry twig, it should be placed in a dry and ventilated place to prevent it from becoming damp, which would cause inconvenience the next time it is used.