Hot back

Palpable heat or feeling of heat in the back. A hot back is a sign of lung heat or yīn vacuity.

Patterns

Lung heat (肺热 fèi rè) may be associated with effusion of heat from the back, which gets worse after noon, together with a dry mouth, cough, coughing of yellow phlegm, distending pain in the chest and back, constipation, red complexion, yellow tongue fur, and a rapid pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Clear and downbear lung fire with Family Secret White-Draining Powder (家秘泻白散 jiā mì xiè bái sǎn).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on GV, LU, and LI. Select GV-14 (Great Hammer, 大椎 dà zhuī), BL-13 (Lung Transport, 肺俞 fèi shù), LU-5 (Cubit Marsh, 尺泽 chǐ zé), LU-10 (Fish Border, 鱼际 yú jì), LI-11 (Pool at the Bend, 曲池 qū chí), ST-44 (Inner Court, 内庭 nèi tíng), and ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ); needle with drainage.

Yīn vacuity (阴虚 yīn xū) may be associated a feeling of heat in the back that gets worse at night, associated with aching pain in the back and lumbus, heat in the hearts of the hands and feet, night sweating, red tongue with little fur, and a rapid fine pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Enrich yīn and clear heat with Anemarrhena, Phellodendron, and Rehmannia Pill (知柏地黄丸 zhī bǎi dì huáng wán). Heat in the back at night that abates in the daytime with no other signs is seen in yīn vacuity of the elderly. Washing in warm water can reduce the discomfort.

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on KI, BL, and GV. Supplement BL-23 (Kidney Transport, 肾俞 shèn shù), KI-3 (Great Ravine, 太溪 tài xī), KI-6 (Shining Sea, 照海 zhào hǎi), KI-2 (Blazing Valley, 然谷 rán gǔ), and drain GV-14 (Great Hammer, 大椎 dà zhuī), BL-40 (Bend Center, 委中 wěi zhōng), and LR-2 (Moving Between, 行间 xíng jiān). Alternatively, needle all points with even supplementation and drainage.