Postpartum lumbar pain

Lumbar pain after childbirth. It may arise a) when childbirth damages the kidney (the lumbus is the house of the kidney) and vanquished blood obstructs the girdling dài vessel, b) when vacuity of true qì is exploited by external evil, or c) when the lumbus is sprained in postpartum vacuity.

Patterns

Damage to the kidney in childbirth (分娩伤肾 fēn miǎn shāng shèn) gives rise to a dull pain associated with tinnitus.

Medicinal therapy: Strengthen the lumbus and supplement the kidney with Six-Ingredient Rehmannia Pill (六味地黄丸 liù wèi dì huáng wán) plus eucommia (Eucommiae Cortex, 杜仲 dù zhòng) and dipsacus (Dipsaci Radix, 续断 xù duàn).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on GV, BL, and ouch points (阿是穴 ā shì xué). Main points for all patterns: BL-23 (Kidney Transport, 肾俞 shèn shù), GV-3 (Lumbar Yáng Pass, 腰阳关 yāo yáng guān), BL-40 (Bend Center, 委中 wěi zhōng), and ouch points (阿是穴 ā shì xué). For damage to kidney through delivery, add GV-4 (Life Gate, 命门 mìng mén), BL-52 (Will Chamber, 志室 zhì shì), BL-58 (Taking Flight, 飞扬 fēi yáng), and KI-3 (Great Ravine, 太溪 tài xī), needling with supplementation and adding moxa.

External evil (外邪 wài xié) patterns are characterized by exterior signs.

Medicinal therapy: Use Provisioning-Nourishing Kidney-Invigorating Decoction (养荣壮肾汤 yǎng róng zhuàng shèn tāng).

Acumoxatherapy: Needle with supplementation the main points given above and at BL-17 (Diaphragm Transport, 膈俞 gé shù), BL-20 (Spleen Transport, 脾俞 pí shù), LR-3 (Supreme Surge, 太冲 tài chōng), and SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo), and needle with drainage at GV-20 (Hundred Convergences, 百会 bǎi huì), GB-20 (Wind Pool, 风池 fēng chí), and TB-5 (Outer Pass, 外关 wài guān).

Blood stasis (血瘀 xuè yū) (including wrenching of the lumbus) patterns are characterized by local stabbing distending pain that is exacerbated by the slightest pressure.

Medicinal therapy: Quicken the blood and transform stasis with Origin-Restoring Qì-Freeing Powder (复元通气散 fù yuán tōng qì sǎn).

Acumoxatherapy: To the main points given above add BL-17 (Diaphragm Transport, 膈俞 gé shù), SP-10 (Sea of Blood, 血海 xuè hǎi), LR-3 (Supreme Surge, 太冲 tài chōng), and GV-26 (Human Center, 人中 rén zhōng), needling with even supplementation and drainage.