Qi stagnation

When there is pain there is stagnation of Qi. This is referring to knots, tightening or something that is preventing the movement of muscle and the function of the musculoskeletal system.

Qi stagnation feels like

•  

• Dull ache

• Can move location

• Sometimes worse in the morning and improves throughout the day

• Better with pressure

 

 

Blood stagnation

 

When Qi stagnates for a period of time the pain can get worse. If Qi is not flowing then blood does flow in that area. As it builds up blood stagnates.

 

Blood stagnation feels like

•  

• A fixed stabbing, boring or throbbing pain

• Often gradual and starts off as a dull ache

• Worse with pressure

 

Muscle tissue damage can be associated with blood stagnation. Inflammation caused by the body trying to repair itself creating an accumulation of blood.

 

Bi syndrome

 

This painful obstruction syndrome that various characteristics that help identify the cause and to treat it. Bi syndrome is caused by an exterior pathogen

•  

• Wind

• Cold

• Damp

• Heat

 

They enter the body and stagnate in the joints, ligaments, muscles and tendons. The stagnation causes pain, stiffness, numbness and heaviness.

 

Bi syndrome is often found with underlying deficiency that allows the pathogen to enter so a Chinese medicine acupuncture will also treat the cause of the pain. Bi syndrome can combine for example wind Bi with cold, wind Bi with heat, damp Bi with cold or damp Bi with heat. When exposed to one or a combination of different environments, diet or weather it can make the pain better or worse. This help with diagnosis.

•  

• Wind Bi with cold get worse in cold windy weather or air conditioning

• Wind Bi with heat gets worse in a hot environment

• Damp Bi gets worse in damp humid weather or buildings with damp

• Damp Bi with cold gets worse in cold damp weather usually during the winter

• Damp Bi with heat gets worse in hot and humid weather

• Cold Bi gets worse in cold weather

• Hot Bi gets worse when exposed to heat

 

Hot spicy foods can make the pain worse if it hot Bi syndrome

Cold foods can make the pain worse for cold Bi syndrome

Damp foods can make the pain worse for damp Bi syndrome

An acupuncturist will be looking for other signs and will ask questions that seem like they are not related but help with the overall treatment principal. The tongue and pulse is useful diagnostic tool. You will get dietary advice, how to prevent the pain from getting worse and other are number of different ways of treating pain.

 

Wind Bi

•  

• Sore or stiffness in muscles and joints. Often found in the neck and shoulders

• Worse with exposure to wind or air conditioning

• Often moving from place to place

• Pain varies in intensity

• Decreased range of motion

 

Cold Bi

•  

• Cold contracts and slows down movement causing Qi and blood to stagnate

• Fixed pain

• Worse with exposure to cold

• Better with warmth

• Decreased range of motion

 

Damp Bi

•  

• A soreness dull ache or sense of heaviness in muscles or joints

• Pain does not move

• Worse in wet, damp or cloudy weather

 

Hot Bi

•  

• Inflammation present. Common an injection or autoimmune conditions (but not all cases)

• Often hot to touch

• Redness

• Swelling

• Limited movement

• Worse with heat

• Better with cold

 

Acupuncture

 

There are various needling techniques and specific points for local areas of pain that activate the motor action of a muscle.

•  

• Acupuncture allows the movement of Qi and blood to flow and nourish the affected area

• The needles go to the required depth needed to release the tension

• There are local points where the pain is found and adjacent point (muscles work in groups) and distal points that are use to help move Qi and help it flow in the channel

 

Moxibustion

•  

• This is a herb when ignited creates an intense heat that can warm an area and penetrate to a great depth

• Alternatively some practitioners use an infrared moxa lamp

 

Cupping 

•  

• A glass cup with a vacuum creating a suction on the skin allows

• Useful of wind Bi, Qi or blood stagnation

• It does leave a temporary red or purple mark

• Cupping is safe and does not hurt

 

Guasha

•  

• A smooth implement is rubbed on with skin with oil

• Where there is pain and stagnation guasha leaves a temporary red or purple mark

• It is safe and does not hurt

• Useful of wind Bi, Qi or blood stagnation

An acupuncturist will use acupuncture and sometimes combine with some of these other techniques depending on the diagnosis to get the best results.