Huai Niu Xi Radix Achyranthis bidentatae

Qin Jiao Radix Gentianae macrophyllae

Shou Wu Radix Polygoni multiflori

Du Huo Radix Angelicae pubescentis

Sang Ji Sheng Ramulus Loranthi

Dang Gui Radix Angelicae sinensis

Wei Ling Xian Radix Clematidis chinensis

Explanation

This pill tonifies Kidney-Yang and nourishes and moves Blood. It is suitable for chronic
backache from deficiency of Kidney-Yang and Blood. It is similar in effect to Du Huo Ji Sheng
Wan Angelica pubescens-Loranthus Pill: it differs from it in so far as it is less hot in energy and,
in a small dose, is suitable also if there is some deficiency of Kidney-Yin.

The tongue presentation appropriate to this remedy is a Pale body.

Prognosis and Prevention

Acupuncture can be extremely effective in the treatment of both acute and chronic backache,
more so than herbal medicine. It sometimes produces extraordinary results in the face of all odds
when there are severe structural imbalances in the spine. The duration of the complaint seems to
be less relevant in backache than in other diseases: many cases of very chronic backache of, say,
over 20 years' duration are sometimes cleared in a few sessions.

Acute attacks from sprain or invasion of Damp-Cold can be cleared in a few treatments,
sometimes even only one. If, however, the acute attack is a recurrence of a chronic problem, the
treatment will take much longer: usually about 10-15 sessions.

When the backache is accompanied by sciatica it will usually take longer to treat. If the patient's
tongue is Red and Peeled and the pulse is Rapid, Slippery and Wiry, the prognosis is poor and
the treatment will either be unsuccessful or will take a long time.

Further indications on prognosis must take into account Western diagnosis, distinguishing the
four conditions of chronic lower lumbar ligamentous strain, spondylosis, osteoarthritis and disc
herniation.

Chronic lower lumbar ligamentous strain and spondylosis respond extremely well to treatment,
in the way indicated above.