Stiff limbs

Sticky sensation in the mouth, reduced appetite, nausea, vomiting eczema or other itchy and weeping skin disorders Bi syndrome of wind-damp-heat type, poor concentration, inability to study, impaired memory, slow reactions convulsions and mental confusion heavy, painful and stiff limbs, swollen joints tiredness, lassitude, jaundice. 

These herbs are warm and pungent, and enter the Heart and Liver meridians. They can invigorate the blood and promote blood circulation. They are used for treating chronic Bi syndrome that is characterized by stubborn pain, numbness, and cold, weak and stiff limbs. They can also be selected to treat chronic skin disorders when the skin lesions are purple, dark in color, itchy, dry and thick. 

These herbs are selected particularly for treating disorders related to tendons, bones and muscles. ShenJin Cao is a pungent, bitter and warm herb, but it is not dry in nature. It enters the Liver meridian and is especially effective in treating disorders of the tendons. It is able to expel wind, open the meridians, promote blood circulation and relax the tendons. It is mostly used for chronic Bi syndrome, which manifests as stiff limbs, difficulty with moving and walking, soreness of the tendons and bones, and numbness of the skin. 

Rigidity is muscular stiffness throughout the range of passive movement in a limb segment. Cogwheel rigidity, which is typical for parkinsonism, means that tremor is superimposed on muscle stiffness. 

Many activities require both types of muscle contraction. An example is running when one of the legs hits the ground, isometric contraction of the muscles within this limb keep it stiff and help to maintain body support. At the same time, isotonic contractions in the opposite leg move it forward to take the next stride. 

CHAPTER 11 The diagnostics or signs In the second stage of this disease, they most commonly lose the use of their limbs having a contraction of the flexor tendons in the ham with a swelling and pain in the joint of the knee. Indeed a stiffness in these tendons, and a weakness of the knees, appear pretty early in this disease, generally terminating in a contracted and... 

Cold and severe pain of the limbs, cramp of the muscles, stiffness of the body. 

Cold obstructs the warm spreading of Yang, the movement of the Qi and the circulation of the blood. Patients therefore suffer from cold sensation, severe pain and cramp of the muscles, and stiffness of limbs, such as in a Bi syndrome caused by wind, cold and dampness. 

When the blood cannot support the head, dizziness and vertigo may present. If the blood is too weak to circulate, one will feel tingling of the limbs. When the blood fails to nourish skin, muscles and tendons, the skin becomes dry and itchy, muscles and tendons become stiff or numb, and patients may feel tired. Since normal menstruation is directly supported by blood, irregular menstruation and amenorrhea may occur in conditions of blood deficiency. If the blood is unable to nourish the Heart, the Heart-shen becomes rootless, and insomnia, palpitations, shortness of breath, restlessness and anxiety arise. If the Liver-blood is not able to support... 

Dizziness, dry eyes, blurred vision, cramping and stiffness of muscles and joints, tingling or numbness of limbs, insomnia, dream-disturbed sleep and dull-pale complexion. 

Mu Gua is sour and warm, and enters the Liver and Spleen meridians. It has no function to tonify the blood, but is able to nourish the tendons, expel dampness and open the meridians. It is selected in formulas to relieve spasm and stiffness of the limbs due to Yin and Liver-blood deficiency. 

Bai Shao Yao is bitter, sour and slightly cold, and enters the Liver and Spleen meridians. It particularly tonifies the substantial part of the blood and increases the Yin. It is often used in the syndrome of blood and Yin deficiency that manifests as palpitations, restlessness, stiffness and cramping pain of the limbs, dry eyes, blurred vision and scanty menstruation due to deficiency of the blood and Yin of the Heart and Liver. 

Ji Xue Teng is bitter, sweet and warm, and enters the Liver and Kidney meridians. It can tonify the blood, promote blood circulation and open the collaterals. It is often selected in the formula to treat numbness of the limbs, and stiff and uneasy sensations of the muscles and tendons. 

This formula is able to leach out and transform turbid dampness and clear heat-toxin. It is used for treating damp-febrile disease when the damp-heat accumulates in the Qi level and the dampness and heat are equal in intensity. They block the Qi movement and injure the Yin. The manifestations are fever, sleepiness, fullness in the chest, abdominal distension, stiff and sour limbs, painful and swollen throat, thirst, vomiting, diarrhea, difficult urination, wan complexion or jaundice, a white or thick, sticky or dry, yellow tongue coating and a soft and rapid pulse. 

If the Qi stagnates in the meridians, the main symptoms are stiffness, heaviness, numbness or tingling of the limbs in the affected regions, or migrating pain in the limbs. 

They all have a strong moving ability, are able to open up the meridians and treat stiffness and pain of the limbs. As their high speed and strength can also expel cold, wind and dampness, they are often used for treating Bi syndrome caused by wind, cold and dampness. 

Tian Ma is sweet and neutral, and enters the Liver meridian. It has a moderate and moist nature. It is the first-line choice to extinguish Liver-wind because it not only pacifies the Liver and extinguishes wind, and treats the manifestations (dizziness, headache, dry and tired eyes), but also treats the cause (deficiency of Liver-Yin and blood). It can remove wind-phlegm and open the collaterals, and is used to treat dizziness with nausea and vomiting. If it is combined with herbs that promote the Qi movement and blood circulation, it can treat stiffness, pain, numbness and tingling of limbs, such as in the sequelae of cerebrovascular accident. 

Xi Xian Cao is pungent, bitter and cold, and enters the liver and Kidney meridians. It enters the deep regions of the body, the tendons and the bones. It searches out and expels wind, dampness and heat. It is selected when a Bi syndrome is at the active stage and the joints are swollen and painful with a burning sensation. Moreover, it can eliminate wind-dampness and treat heaviness and numbness of the limbs. Because it enters the Liver and Kidney meridians, Xi Xian Cao is especially effective in treating weakness and stiffness of the knees and back, pain of the bones, numbness and a tingling sensation of the limbs. 

Lu Lu Tong is pungent, bitter and neutral, and enters all the meridians. Lu in Chinese means road Tong means open. The name indicates that this herb is able to open the meridians and collaterals, expel wind-dampness and treat stiffness and numbness of the limbs in Bi syndrome. 

Jiang Huang is pungent and warm, and enters the Spleen and Liver meridians. It can strongly promote the Qi movement and blood circulation, and open up the meridians so that it can relieve pain. This herb can be used in conditions where there is deformation of joints with pain, stiffness and muscular atrophy of the limbs. 

This genetic myopathy is characterized by impaired muscle relaxation, painless cramps and stiffness following exercise. The symptoms occur after repetitive, sustained exercise and mainly affect the limb muscles. They are exacerbate in the cold. 

The local injection of 0.1 to 2% procaine or other anesthetics blocks the centripetal proprioceptive impulses and thereby relaxes muscular tonus, normal and abnormal, such as spasmodic torticollis. It effects almost instantaneous relief of the pain, stiffness, malposition, and incapacity of fibrositis, lumbago, and acute sprains and fractures. The site of greatest tenderness may be infiltrated with 10 to 30 cc of 1 or 2% procaine hydrochloride. Injected systemically, it relaxes traumatic tetanus and removes decerebrate rigidity, so that spontaneous movements of the limbs and of the respiration return. Its curare action may also be concerned in this effect. It relaxes parkinsonian, but not myotonic, rigidity. 

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