Postpartum wind stroke

Wind stroke occurring after childbirth. Postpartum wind stroke is attributed to sudden vacuity of qì and blood after delivery, with consequent unsoundness of the interstices allowing external evils to exploit the vacuity and enter the body. Conditions that occur when externally contracted wind evil remains unresolved for ten days or more, characterized by slight headache, aversion to cold, periodic heat effusion, oppression below the heart, dry retching and sweating can be treated by harmonizing provisioning and defense with Cinnamon Twig Decoction (桂枝汤 guì zhī tāng). Heat effusion, red facial complexion, panting, and headache can be treated with Lophatherum Decoction (竹叶汤 zhú yè tāng). Externally contracted wind-cold contending with sinews causing hypertonicity of the sinews, clenched jaw, loss of consciousness, and arched-back rigidity can be treated as true wind stroke, using Hua Tuo’s Wind-Healing Powder (华陀愈风散 huá tuó yù fēng sǎn), which nowadays can be applied by nasal feed.

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on GB, TB, SP, ST, LI, and LR. Main points: 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), and with supplementation at BL-20 (Spleen Transport, 脾俞 pí shù), BL-17 (Diaphragm Transport, 膈俞 gé shù), ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), and SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo).

• For Cinnamon Twig Decoction (桂枝汤 guì zhī tāng) patterns, add GV-16 (Wind Mansion, 风府 fēng fǔ), LI-4 (Union Valley, 合谷 hé gǔ), and LI-11 (Pool at the Bend, 曲池 qū chí), needling with drainage.
• For Lophatherum Decoction (竹叶汤 zhú yè tāng) patterns, add GV-14 (Great Hammer, 大椎 dà zhuī), LI-4 (Union Valley, 合谷 hé gǔ), LI-11 (Pool at the Bend, 曲池 qū chí), LU-7 (Broken Sequence, 列缺 liè quē), and LU-5 (Cubit Marsh, 尺泽 chǐ zé), needling with drainage.
• For externally contracted wind-cold contending with the sinews, add GV-26 (Human Center, 人中 rén zhōng), KI-1 (Gushing Spring, 湧泉 yǒng quán), LI-4 (Union Valley, 合谷 hé gǔ), LU-7 (Broken Sequence, 列缺 liè quē), LR-3 (Supreme Surge, 太冲 tài chōng), BL-57 (Mountain Support, 承山 chéng shān), and GB-34 (Yáng Mound Spring, 阳陵泉 yáng líng quán), needling with drainage and adding moxa. Compare postpartum wind-like stroke.

See also lockjaw.