particular acupuncture, gives excellent results in the treatment of this complaint.
By "lower" backache is meant ache anywhere in the back region (including the buttocks) below
the lower border of the rib-cage, which is approximately level with BL-21 Weishu (Figure
24.1(473)).
The lower back area is strongly influenced by the Bladder and Kidney channels (Figure
24.2(474)):
- The Bladder main channel flows along the back in two lines
- The Bladder muscle-channel follows the muscles alongside the spine
- The Bladder divergent channel flows alongside the spine (Figure 24.2(475))
- The Kidney main channel from the perineum flows up along the spine and goes to the
kidneys and bladder - The Kidney muscle-channel flows alongside the anterior aspect of the spine
- The Kidney divergent channel flows upwards with the Bladder channel and, at the level
of Bl-23 Shenshu, it joins the Girdle Vessel (Figure 24.3(476)) - The Governing Vessel, closely related to the Kidneys, of course flows along the spine
- The Penetrating Vessel, also stemming from in between the Kidneys, from the perineum,
sends a branch up in the spine to the level of BL-23 Shenshu (Figure 24.4(477)).
The "Simple Questions" in chapter 17 says: "The lower back is the residence of the Kidneys
...".2(478) In chapter 41 it gives the symptoms and signs of backache deriving from each of the
channels. The "Prescriptions of the Golden Chest" in chapter 11 describes the effects on the
lower back of Wind, Cold and Dampness:
When the Kidneys are affected by Wind there is a feeling of heaviness of the body
and cold in the lower back and the patient feels as if sitting in water ... there is no
thirst, urination is normal and appetite is not affected, thus the disease is in the
Lower Burner [as opposed to the Kidneys themselves]. This is due to perspiring
while working making the clothes wet and cold. If this condition persists for a
long time the lower back will ache from Cold and there will be a feeling of
heaviness around the waist as if he or she were carrying 1000 coins around
his/her waist. In these cases use the Glycyrrhiza-Zingiber-Poria-Atractylodes