Dry leg qì

Leg qì characterized by the absence of water swelling. Dry leg qì arises when yīn vacuity with internal heat , damp-heat, and wind-toxin transforming into heat damage provisioning-blood, depriving the sinews of nourishment, causing lack of strength, pain, numbness, hypertonicity, and withering of the lower leg, accompanied by reduced food intake, hot reddish urine, red tongue, and rapid stringlike pulse.

Biomedical correspondence: beriberi (attributed to vitamin B₁ deficiency).

Medicinal therapy: Diffuse congestion and transform dampness; harmonize provisioning and clear heat. Use medicinals such as atractylodes (Atractylodis Rhizoma, 苍朮 cāng zhú), white atractylodes (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma, 白朮 bái zhú), anemarrhena (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma, 知母 zhī mǔ), phellodendron (Phellodendri Cortex, 黄柏 huáng bǎi), Chinese angelica (Angelicae Sinensis Radix, 当归 dāng guī), white peony (Paeoniae Radix Alba, 白芍药 bái sháo yào), dried/fresh rehmannia (Rehmanniae Radix Exsiccata seu Recens, 生地黄 shēng dì huáng), chaenomeles (Chaenomelis Fructus, 木瓜 mù guā), areca (Arecae Semen, 槟榔 bīng láng), notopterygium (Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix, 羌活 qiāng huó), pubescent angelica (Angelicae Pubescentis Radix, 独活 dú huó), trifoliate akebia (Akebiae Trifoliatae Caulis, 木通 mù tōng), northern fangji (Aristolochiae Heterophyllae Radix, 汉中防己 hàn zhōng fáng jǐ), achyranthes (Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix, 牛膝 niú xī), licorice (Glycyrrhizae Radix, 甘草 gān cǎo), and ginger (Zingiberis Rhizoma, 姜 jiāng).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on SP, KI, and GB. Select SP-10 (Sea of Blood, 血海 xuè hǎi), SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo), KI-3 (Great Ravine, 太溪 tài xī), KI-6 (Shining Sea, 照海 zhào hǎi), ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), GB-34 (Yáng Mound Spring, 阳陵泉 yáng líng quán), and GB-39 (Suspended Bell, 悬钟 xuán zhōng); needle with supplementation.

Point selection according to signs: For cramps, add BL-57 (Mountain Support, 承山 chéng shān). For lumbar pain, add BL-40 (Bend Center, 委中 wěi zhōng). For swollen knees, GB-33 (Knee Yáng Joint, 膝阳关 xī yáng guān) and GB-31 (Wind Market, 风巿 fēng shì).