Chinese Medicine for Back Pain: Beginners Guide

Back pain is perhaps one of the worst annoyances of modern life. It is usually not a crippling pain but it doesn’t stop it from being a big hindrance to your wellbeing. While Western medicine prescribes many pills that more often than not are just painkillers, Chinese Medicine brings a new approach to the table that goes beyond just managing pain. In this post, you will learn how to use Chinese medicine to treat back pain.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the main causes of back pain are a strain on organ networks, such as the kidneys, caused by too much sitting or standing, muscular weaknesses, and pathogenic factors. Acupoints and herbs in Chinese Medicine for back pain are BL 60, KI 3, SP 6, and Kidney-toning herbs like beets, eggplant, and salvia root.

Importance of the Back in TCM

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the back is a very special body area both anatomically and physiologically.

The Kidneys are the most important organ in Traditional Chinese Medicine. They are in the back, closer to the surface of the body. They are in charge of reproduction, storing the Essence that is vital for our quality of life, and keeping brain health intact. Therefore, keeping them healthy is of the utmost importance.

Also, in the back are located several points that are hubs of organ Qi. Those are called the Back Shu Points and are useful in treating and healing the different Zhang-Fu organs. Those Shu points are located along the trajectory of the Bladder Channel, which is a truly important one.

The Governor Vessel or Du Mai Channel flows through the midline of the back. It gathers the Qi of all the Yin organs and mediates several vital functions

Given that an interruption of the flow of Qi in a Meridian hurts the health of that particular organ and therefore the whole body, I think you understand why it is crucial to keep the back healthy.

Chinese Medicine for Back Pain: Addressing the Causes

Back pain can be caused by a myriad of reasons, some simple like a muscle contraction, and some more complicated like diseases such as spondylitis. Here is a simple breakdown of the most common ones according to both Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine:

• Sciatica: This is perhaps the one that comes to mind the most when talking about back pain and low back pain specifically. Caused by a compression of the sciatic nerve, Sciatica or Sciatalgia can range from mild discomfort to inutilizing pain.
• Too much sitting and standing: This is a modern hazard mainly due to the work environment of the current age. According to the Five Elements theory, too much sitting puts a strain on your Spleen paving the way to the creation of dampness which then causes lower back pain among other signs. Too much standing puts a strain on your Kidneys, draining their Qi and therefore weakening them, this then causes a debilitating pain of slow onset on the lower back and the knees.
• Weakness of back and glute muscles: Due to a generalized lack of physical exertion in the modern era, mixed with too much sitting, many of the postural muscles have become weakened. The body always tries to maintain control and balance, so a weakness of a muscle or muscle group will make other muscles stiffer and overloaded to make up for the other ones. Some of the most common cases are the glute muscles which make other muscles like the hamstrings and the low back muscles stiff and sore.
• Retention of Wind, Cold, and Dampness Affecting the Meridians: These External Pathogenic factors can cause the flow of Qi and Blood to stagnate. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, when Blood and Qi flow smoothly there is health but if they become blocked then pain emerges. The patterns of Cold, Blood stagnation, and Dampness are known to cause pain. A blocked meridian will cause pain on its trajectory.
• Kidney issues: This one has a slow onset but speaks about a critical issue given the affected organs. When the Kidneys are damaged, one of the main symptoms that arise is lower back pain along with weakness of the knees and a worsening of the pain after exertion.
• Degenerative diseases: Arthritis and arthrosis, rheumatism, etc.

Now you know the most common causes of back pain. Up next you will learn how to deal with them.

Chinese Medicine for Back Pain: Acupuncture Points for Back Pain

• Bladder 60 (Kunlun): This one is often called the aspirin point because of its amazing analgesic properties. Located behind the outer ankle, 1 cun behind the tip of the ankle, in a depression between the ankle and the Achilles tendon.
• Gallbladder 31 (Fengshi): Located 7 cun above the popliteal (back of the knee) crease, in the middle of the lateral (outer) side of the thigh between the muscles. Stand up straight with your hands on the side of your body. The point is located at the tip of your middle finger. This is a powerful acupuncture point for Sciatica.
• Kidney 3 (Taixi): Located between the inner ankle and the Achilles tendon, similar to Bladder 60 but on the inside. It energizes the Kidney.
• Bladder 23 (Shenshu): Back Shu Point of the Kidney, located 1.5 cun away from the midline at level with the tip of the spinous process of the second lumbar vertebra. Look for the ending of the last rib, you should be at the same level as the point, now follow a straight line towards the midline and follow the indications above.
• Spleen 6 (Sanyinjiao): Located 3 cun above the tip of the inner ankle, behind the edge of the tibia. It promotes the circulation of Blood, treats Kidney issues, and can be used as an analgesic pint.

Stimulate every point three times a day, pressing and rubbing them for three minutes. You should invest in seeking Acupuncture treatment for better results.

Chinese Medicine for Back Pain: Herbs and Foods for Kidney Health

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, foods are the medicine and medicine is the food. Here are some herbs and food that will nourish your Kidney and Essence.

• Aubergine: Clears heat, activates blood, alleviates pain, and resolves swelling.
• Deer antler: Used to nourish the Essence and the Kidneys.
• Salvia Root: Tonifies the Blood and promotes its smooth flow.
• Beetroot: Nourishes Blood and liver, and helps lower blood pressure when used as an infusion.
• Tu Si Zi (Semen Cuscutae/Cuscuta Seeds): Tonifies kidney, nourishes essence, nourishes liver to improve vision, secures essence, reduces urination and stops leukorrhagia, tonifies spleen to check diarrhea and prevents abortion. This one has been shown to improve hepatic lipid metabolism in mice with weight loss effects.
• Animal-based foods: Foods such as beef, chicken, pork, and fish are rich in iron and protein, which are important for building blood.
• Dark leafy greens: Vegetables like spinach, kale, and Swiss chard are high in iron and other nutrients that support blood production.
• Black beans: Black beans are rich in iron, protein, and folate, all of which are important for blood health.

Chinese Medicine for Back Pain: Behavioral Tools

If you want to take the healing effects of Chinese Medicine for back pain to the next level, then invest in some behavioral tools like the ones you will see next.

• Apply the 5/45 rule for sitting: For every 45 minutes spent sitting, spend 5 minutes walking or standing. You can even do some hops to mobilize your Qi. This way you will lessen the deleterious effects of excessive sitting. You can also invest in a standing desk.
• Attend to regular Tai Chi and Qi Gong classes: Perhaps the most overlooked but amazingly powerful, incorporating a regular Tai Chi practice will make our body stronger and more resilient. The slow-paced style of Tai Chi makes it available for everyone regardless of their fitness state. You will get stronger, more flexible, more energized, and have a better mood overall.
• Practice postural exercises: Correcting your posture will decrease the incidence of back pain by a large margin and do things like improve your mood, alertness, and attention. One simple exercise you can do is to stand up with your feet as wide as your shoulders, then take both your arms and put them to the sides of your chest like you were to throw a Karate punch, stay there for as long as you can, and do three sets.
• Invest in Tuina massage sessions: Tuina massage is another treatment method in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Based upon the Meridians theory, this kind of massage focuses on improving the flow of Qi through the meridians. You can ask your masseuse to put a special emphasis on massaging the Back Shu points.

Qi Gong exercises like the Baduanjin (8 Brocade) have been used in Chinese hospitals as part of their treatment for Chronic Kidney Disease.

And that’s it. Right now you have everything you need to deal with back pain using Traditional Chinese Medicine. Send this post to anyone you know suffering from back pain.

See ya!