Decoction.3(479)

The "General Treatise on the Aetiology and Symptomatology of Diseases" (610) describes five
causes of lower backache, i.e. Kidney deficiency, Wind-Cold invading the back, overexertion,
falls and sleeping on damp surfaces.4(480) The "Essential Methods of Dan Xi" (1481) describes
five types of backache, i.e. from Kidney deficiency, Damp-Heat, stasis of Blood, contusion and
Phlegm.5(481)

Aetiology

Excessive Physical Work

Excessive physical work, in particular regularly lifting objects, strains the muscles of the lower
back and the Kidneys. Excessive lifting therefore weakens the back in two ways: in a purely
physical way, it strains the muscles of the lower back, and in an energetic way, it weakens
Kidney-Qi. Thus, it starts a vicious circle as a deficiency of Kidney-Qi, by itself, leads to a
weakening of the back muscles. On the other hand, at the acute stage, excessive physical work
also causes local stagnation of Qi and Blood in the back area. This causes intense pain.

This is a common cause of both acute and chronic backache in modern societies. In acute cases,
excessive physical work is the most common cause of back strain. Excessive physical work may
occur in the course of one's occupation, sports or exercises. Examples are excessive lifting by
removal men, excessive aerobic exercises, ballet or weight lifting. Particularly in the case of
those engaged in ballet from early childhood, the space between the lumbar vertebrae will be
found to be abnormally wide.

Excessive Sexual Activity

Excessive sexual activity weakens the back in an energetic sense as it depletes Kidney-Qi and a
deficient Kidney-Qi fails to nourish and strengthen the back muscles. This causes only chronic,
not acute, backache.

Pregnancy and Childbirth

Pregnancy and childbirth also weaken the back in two ways: in a purely physical way, they put a
strain on the back muscles, and in an energetic sense, they weaken Kidney-Qi which
consequently fails to strengthen the back muscles.

However, pregnancy and childbirth are not by themselves a cause of disease. They only become
that in women of weak constitution, in those who do not take care or rest after childbirth, or in
those who have several children in close succession. In fact, if a woman takes particular care