The treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in Chinese medicine is based on the following methods: 1) joint pain can be treated with acupuncture, moxibustion, physical therapy, hot salt pack and fumigation; 2) acute attacks of joint inflammation, accompanied by burning symptoms around the joints, can be treated with heat-clearing and detoxification programs; 3) when the joints are cold, patients can be given moxibustion, hot salt pack and other treatment programs to warm the meridians and channels.