In spring and autumn, the temperature difference is relatively large, and the temperature change is often obvious overnight. In spring, sometimes the temperature rises too fast. Keep warm, which gives an opportunity for external evils to take advantage of. Often the most vulnerable is the back of our neck, so there will be pain in the back of the neck and even shoulders. "Acupuncture and Moxibustion": , make the fire qi to help the vitality... Moxibustion for those who are cold can also warm up the qi..." Today, we will introduce the method of moxibustion to treat shoulder and back pain.
Neck and shoulder pain is a kind of meridian tendon disease, also known as tendon injury syndrome. It is mainly caused by muscle spasm, tension, numbness, tendon turning, stiffness, laxity, and disuse of body parts in the distribution of the meridian tendons. Traditional Chinese medicine has many explanations on the etiology and pathogenesis of this disease. "On the Causes and Symptoms of Various Diseases" says: "From the weakness of the body, the interstices are opened, and the wind evil lies in the tendons. , making people anxious.” It can be seen that wind evil and internal deficiency are the main pathogenic factors, and at the same time, the role of evil energy lies in the meridians. "Lingshu·Benzang" says: "Those in the meridians move qi and blood to nourish yin and yang, moisten the muscles and bones, and benefit the joints." Wind-cold evil energy invades the meridians, which will cause blood coagulation in the meridians and stagnation of qi, which cannot nourish the muscles and bones and relieve the joints. .
The meridians in the neck and shoulders include the Taiyang Meridian of the Hand, the Taiyang Meridian of the Foot, and the Shaoyang Meridian of the Foot. The obstruction of the meridians can have two aspects: deficiency and excess. Insufficient Qi and blood can lead to obstruction of the meridians; stagnation of Qi and blood can also lead to obstruction of the meridians. Strengthening the body to dispel pathogenic factors, reconciling qi and blood is also the effect of dredging the menstrual flow. Moxibustion can use the fire of moxibustion to make qi and blood flow smoothly, restore righteous qi and get rid of evil qi. "Shen Moxibustion Classics" says: "Moxibustion warms the meridians, ventilates qi and blood, so that those who are against the law can go smoothly, and those who are stagnant can move."
We can moxibustion the following points:
Fengchi point
On the back of the neck, below the occipital bone, in the depression between the upper end of the sternocleidomastoid muscle and the upper end of the trapezius muscle. The wind is light and easy to attack the Yang position. When suffering from exogenous wind and cold, choosing Fengchi can warm the meridians and dispel cold, dispel wind and dredge collaterals.
Yanglingquan
On the outside of the calf, in the depression anteriorly and inferiorly to the head of the fibula. Yanglingquan is a commonly used acupoint for tendon injury diseases. In addition, it has a good effect on gallbladder disease, and has the effect of reducing inflammation and promoting gallbladder.
Ashi point
It refers to the tender point (sensitive point) on the part of the pain or related to the pain as acupoints. Select the place where the tenderness is most obvious on the neck and shoulders as the Ashi point, which means "taking pain as the acupoint".
*Acupoint pictures are from "Illustrated Yellow Emperor's Canon of Internal Medicine" produced by Zitu Books
Operation method:
Take the prone sitting position, and take the Fengchi and Ashi points. Slowly move the neck to accurately find the Ashi point on the neck (that is, the pain point), light the moxa stick, and use gentle moxibustion to follow the meridian from bottom to top and apply the operation on each Ashi point sequentially. No burning pain, 5 minutes per point; take sitting or supine position. First speculate on the tenderness points near Yanglingquan on both sides, then moxibustion on the pain points for 15 minutes, and slowly move the neck while moxibustion. 1 time per day.
Yanglingquan is the tendon meeting point of the eight meeting points, and it is the key point for treating muscle diseases all over the body. "Acupuncture and Moxibustion Integration" says: "The tendon meeting Yanglingquan tendon disease is treated here." The usage of this point is recorded in "Acupuncture A and B Classic" : "Yanglingquan...Pierce six points, stay ten breaths, and moxibustion three strong." It can be seen that no matter acupuncture or moxibustion, this point can play the role of relaxing and strengthening muscles. Fengchi and Ashi points are where the qi and blood stagnate in the meridians. Moxibustion along the meridians will make the blood flow smoothly, and the meridians will naturally flow smoothly.
In addition, neck and shoulder pain can be treated together with a combination of methods:
experience sharing
Take the Ashi point (the place where the neck and shoulder tenderness is obvious), and the bilateral Fengchi, Jianjing, Jianzhongshu, and Tianzong. The patient is seated, and the local skin of the acupoints is routinely disinfected, and then the acupoints are quickly tapped with skin needles, and then cupped for 5 to 10 minutes. Then apply moxibustion on the above acupoints for 10 minutes until the local skin becomes hot, and be careful not to burn the skin. Then use the thumb, index, and middle fingers to press, knead, and pinch the above-mentioned acupoints vigorously. When the acupoints feel soreness and gas, do circular massage to the deep part for 5-10 minutes, and ask the patient to move the neck. Relieve it, press and hold Ashi, Fengchi, and Jianjing acupoints again, and the manipulation ranges from light to slightly heavy, so that the blood in the neck can be unobstructed and the muscles can be relaxed, then the symptoms can be relieved. Press and knead for 20-30 minutes each time. The above-mentioned comprehensive measures are implemented once a day, and 5 times constitute a course of treatment.
Tapping and cupping with skin needles are specific applications of traditional Chinese medicine methods for promoting blood circulation and removing stasis. The author believes that the combination of kneading and moxibustion can relieve severe pain through heat stimulation, which is the key to the treatment of this disease. It has the effect of warming the yang and strengthening the body. Most clinical patients are sensitive to meridian conduction. After the operation, it can relieve the tendons of the Shaoyang meridian, dredge the sun meridian qi, and make the qi and blood in the meridians that are not running smoothly can be stimulated by warm heat and unblocked. The diseased skin can be nourished and the symptoms improved.
