when do we tonify LI channel for low back pain

tonifying LI channel is well known tech, but how can we differentiate that from other channel s/s?

text books mention nodules in the neck area, thyroid problems, redness in eyes, bowel movement issues are related to LI. I found it very difficult to understand. it seems so vague. such s/s can be due to LV problems and not to mention not many present goiters in neck or nodules.

recently there are a number of low back pain patients LI channel worked. one of them had auto accident 1 yr ago. the other has chronic low back pain due to buldging disk at L4 L5. all s/s were negative (I was not able to diagnose by zhang fu theory.) meridianwise it is DU and many times pain radiates from lumbar spine to one or both sides (waist).

they have had 3 tx using LI 5 - SI 5- LI 11 ST 36 + (sometimes using just 2 or 3 of these points depending on the condition). both have improved about 20%.

James Jung L Ac
http://www.medicalholistics.com/

stiffness in right leg for 5 yrs

70 yr old male patient came due to chronic stiffness in his right leg. he did not have any injury to his leg. upon palpation there is tenderness at all in right leg.

patient tells me it is not a pain but stiffness after walking for a while (about 20 blocks) so he has to sit down for a few minutes before he resumes walking.

he is somewhat thin and suffers from incontinence for yrs. other than that, all others s/s are negative including hot/cold. stiffness is located along UB GB ST channels in his right leg.

tried to tonify kidney for three times without any success

for the last three treatments, I tonified UB: UB 67 + LI 1 + ST 36 -.
patient tells me there is about 25 % improvement with tonifying UB treatments.

sp 2 vs st 41

sp 2 vs st 41

In One Needle Tech by dr Kim KH, tonifying st 41 is good for ingestion when there is pain in ren 12 area upon palpation. I was using st 41 for a while and found that it does work. however, in some cases, it does not last. well, as we already know as an acupuncturist, differentiation is the key. many times I (i dont know about other practitioners) forget that. sometimes LI 1 ST 45 - works a lot better than st 41. obviously when the problem is due to st excess. tonifying or reducing spleen also works better then st 41 when spleen has imbalance.

let's jump on to spleen meridian. if tonifying st 41 works for ren 12 area pain, shouldnt sp 2 work too?

60 yr old lady with frozen shoulder came and complained of chronic indigestion problems. s.s: lack of appetite weak sensation in limbs, indigestion, inability to eat normal portion but very small portion, otherwise she gets upset stomach. thin body type, cold hands and feet.... etc.

tx: sp 2 + ht 8 + after sp2 + pain in ren 12 area is gone.

BE Awake (I am telling myself nowadays) again differentiation is the key.)

James Jung L Ac
http://www.medicalholistics.com/