Sinew wilting

From Plain Questions (素问 sù wèn, wěi lùn).

1. Also liver wilting. A wilting (wěi) pattern attributable to liver heat causing insufficiency of liver yīn, in turn causing desiccation of the sinews and membranes. Sinew wilting is characterized by hypertonicity of the sinews gradually giving way to wilting that prevents normal movement. It is accompanied by a bitter taste in the mouth and dry nails.

Medicinal therapy: Clear heat, supplement the blood, and nourish the liver. Use formulas such as Blood-Supplementing Sinew-Enhancing Pill (补血荣筋丸 bǔ xuè róng jīn wán).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on back transport points, LR, GB, and KI. Needle with supplementation at BL-18 (Liver Transport, 肝俞 gān shù), BL-23 (Kidney Transport, 肾俞 shèn shù), BL-20 (Spleen Transport, 脾俞 pí shù), BL-17 (Diaphragm Transport, 膈俞 gé shù), and LR-3 (Supreme Surge, 太冲 tài chōng), and with drainage at GB-34 (Yáng Mound Spring, 阳陵泉 yáng líng quán), LR-2 (Moving Between, 行间 xíng jiān), and KI-1 (Gushing Spring, 湧泉 yǒng quán). See wilting.

2. Slackness of the ancestral sinew, i.e., impotence; attributed to stirring of wild desires and excessive sexual taxation. See impotence.