Knee pain

Pain in the knee joint, and the channels and sinews that pass through. Zhāng’s Clear View of Medicine (张氏医通 zhāng shì yī tōng, xī tòng) states, The knees are the house of the sinews... there is no knee pain that is not due to liver-kidney vacuity allowing wind-damp qì to invade. See also crane’s-knee wind.

Medicinal therapy: Knee pain is treated primarily by supplementing the liver and boosting the kidney, dispelling evils and freeing the network vessels. Knee pain with ability to bend but not stretch and with swelling usually involves wind-heat. This can be treated with Supplemented Mysterious Two Powder (加味二妙散 jiā wèi èr miào sǎn) or Mysterious Two Powder (二妙散 èr miào sǎn).

• If there is yīn vacuity, there is heat and pain without swelling. This is treated with Hidden Tiger Pill (虎潜丸 hǔ qián wán).
• When dampness flows into the legs and knees, there is impediment and weakness with pain and heaviness. This can be treated with Pubescent Angelica and Mistletoe Decoction (独活寄生汤 dú huó jì shēng tāng).
• For vacuity cold with wind-damp, use Tiger Bone Four Jin Pill (虎骨四斤丸 hǔ gǔ sì jīn wán).
• For liver-kidney vacuity heat with limp wilting sinews and bones with tremor and shaking, use Velvet Deerhorn Four Jin Pill (鹿茸四斤丸 lù róng sì jīn wán).

The literature states that if there is pain at BL-40 (Bend Center, 委中 wěi zhōng), the foot greater yáng (tài yáng) bladder channel is affected; if the pain is on the outer face of the knee, the foot lesser yáng (shào yáng) gallbladder channel is affected; if the pain is on the inner face, the foot triple yīn is affected. See channel conductor for medicinals that can be added in such cases.

Acumoxatherapy: Select as main points Eye of the Knee (膝眼 xī yǎn), ST-35 (Calf’s Nose, 犊鼻 dú bí), ST-34 (Beam Hill, 梁丘 liáng qiū), hé dìng, (Crane Top), BL-40 (Bend Center, 委中 wěi zhōng), and GB-34 (Yáng Mound Spring, 阳陵泉 yáng líng quán).

• For wind-heat, add GB-20 (Wind Pool, 风池 fēng chí), TB-5 (Outer Pass, 外关 wài guān), LI-11 (Pool at the Bend, 曲池 qū chí), and LI-4 (Union Valley, 合谷 hé gǔ), needling with drainage.
• For yīn vacuity, supplement BL-23 (Kidney Transport, 肾俞 shèn shù), and KI-3 (Great Ravine, 太溪 tài xī), and drain KI-6 (Shining Sea, 照海 zhào hǎi), and KI-1 (Gushing Spring, 湧泉 yǒng quán).
• For pronounced dampness, ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), SP-9 (Yīn Mound Spring, 阴陵泉 yīn líng quán), and SP-5 (Shang Hill, 商丘 shāng qiū), needling with drainage.
• For vacuity cold with wind-damp, add GV-4 (Life Gate, 命门 mìng mén)^mx, GB-20 (Wind Pool, 风池 fēng chí), LI-11 (Pool at the Bend, 曲池 qū chí), ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), and SP-9 (Yīn Mound Spring, 阴陵泉 yīn líng quán), needling with drainage.
• For pain on the inner face, add LR-8 (Spring at the Bend, 曲泉 qū quán), LR-7 (Knee Joint, 膝关 xī guān), and LR-3 (Supreme Surge, 太冲 tài chōng).
• For pain on the outer face, add GB-33 (Knee Yáng Joint, 膝阳关 xī yáng guān), and GB-43 (Pinched Ravine, 侠溪 xiá xī).
• For pain on the upper part of the knee, add ST-33 (Yīn Market, 阴巿 yīn shì).