In this article, I would like to focus on the type of knee pain that responds to acupuncture very well: quadriceps tendonitis. https://www.knee-pain-explained.com/quadriceps-tendonitis.html
The tendon of quadriceps femoris is anchored on the top side of the knee cap. The main function of this large muscle (Which actually consists of four individual muscles) is to straighten the leg. As a secondary function, it flexes the thigh, bringing it closer to the abdomen.
Category Archives: Pain
A condition commonly known as tennis elbow is pain felt on the outside of the elbow. It is due to the inflammation or minor tear of the tendons that connect the forearm muscles to the elbow.
The name, tennis elbow, suggests that it is caused by tightly gripping a racket and engaging in a back hand stroke with poor technique. However, it does not affect just tennis players. Overuse of the hands and forearm may cause inflammation or minor tear of the extensor muscles on the forearm for anybody.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is basically the compression of the median nerve, caused by the narrowing of the small space called the carpal tunnel that the median nerve goes through. During my acupuncture training in school, one of my teachers told us that the problem in the wrist was never just in the wrist.
Since the median nerve originates in the neck and travels down the front of the shoulder, arm, forearm and to the hands, any inflammation and swelling of the muscles, tendons, ligament, joints, and the surrounding tissues on the path will compress on the nerve.
The name of this point is 四讀, Shi Toku (Japanese) or Si Du (Chinese). It means “Four Rivers”. Apparently, it indicates the region in China where the Yellow River and three other large rivers merge, and the name suggests “big currents”. I think it is reasonable to assume that this point is where big currents of Blood or Qi occur.
Anatomically, because of its location in the central and pivotal part of the body, this channel is important for the core stability. As shown in the illustration, the fine balance between the core extensor muscle group and the core flexor muscle group is kept in this area. The acupuncture point GB 34 (also named Tai Myaku) is frequently used to treat low back pain and rib pain for this reason.
In an acupuncture session, the practitioner often uses a channel that is seemingly unrelated to your complaints. Treating low back pain by using the gallbladder channel is a good example.
If you are reading this because you are experiencing low back pain right now, I am very sorry to hear that. I have tweaked my back a few times since the age of 35, and it has sucked each time. At first, I attributed it to aging. After it happened a few times, I started […]
In the previous article, I discussed a type of neck pain that is associated with repetitive motion of the forearms and hands, such as typing. In this article, I would like to touch on the neck pain that is felt mostly on the back of the neck, on the cervical spine, at the base of […]
As I have mentioned in these articles, I often have different patients showing similar symptoms during the same period of time, as if there were symptoms of the month. In this last month, it was pain and numbness of the arms and hands. There were small differences, but what they all had in common was that the pain and numbness of the arms and hands were coming from problems in the neck and shoulders.
In the state of fight or flight, our bodies respond to stressors by producing adrenalin. It is good short term, but when the condition prolongs, it disturbs the healthy hormonal balance. The first physical sign of adrenal exhaustion is lower back pain. (Incidentally, the Adrenal Glands are located near common acupuncture points used for lower back pain.) Also, I have treated neck and shoulder pain, spinal pain, allergic rhinitis, chest pain that mimics a heart attack, and insomnia as adrenal exhaustion. They all fall into the category of exhaustion.