BL-26 Guanyuanshu on the left with needle (reducing method) and
cupping. The needle was manipulated vigorously applying a lift-thrust
reducing technique. It was left in place about 10 minutes, then
withdrawn, and cupping was applied to the point for another 10
minutes.Tunzhong, the extra point lateral to BL-54 Zhibian, was selected as it
was tender on pressure. This was needled at a depth of 2.5 inches and a
good needling sensation was obtained radiating down the back of the
leg as far as the knee. As a good needling sensation was obtained, no
other points were necessary.This treatment was repeated once more the next day and two sessions
were enough to clear up the problem completely. However, as on further
analysis it became evident that she had an underlying Kidney-Yin
deficiency, the patent remedy Zhi Bo Ba Wei Wan
Anemarrhena-Phellodendron Eight-Ingredient Pill was prescribed and
she was advised to take that only during the winter months. At the time
of writing (3 years later), there has not been any recurrence.Case History 24.2
Lower Backache: Kidney-Yang Deficiency-Male, Age 45
A 45-year-old man complained of acute sprain of the lower back. This was not the first time as
he had had several attacks in the previous 10 years. The first attack occurred after lifting a heavy
weight: at this time he could not move at all for a week. The present attack had also been elicited
by lifting and he experienced a severe pain on the right side around the right sacro-iliac area. The
pain radiated down to the buttock and back of the leg. The straight-leg raising test proved
positive, i.e. raising his right leg with the knee straight provoked intense pain in the back. This
indicates lumbo-sacral nerve-root compression from a prolapsed disc at the level L4-L5.
Diagnosis This is obvious from the symptoms: from the Chinese viewpoint it is an
acute sprain of the lower back, and from the Western perspective it is a
herniation of the L4-L5 disc. As he had had repeated attacks over 10
years, this showed that there must also be an underlying deficiency of
the Kidneys. His pulse, Weak on both Rear positions, and some of his
symptoms such as backache after sex, confirmed this.
Treatment Only acupuncture was administered at his home as he could not move
from bed. The distal points used were:
BL-62 Shenmai on the right, HE-7 Shenmen on the left, KI-4 Dazhong
on the left and LIV-3 Taichong on the right. BL-62 was used to remove
obstructions from the Bladder channel on the right side. HE-7 was
selected to calm the Mind and relax the nerves. KI-4, Connecting point,