Cold impediment

1. Also painful impediment. An impediment (bì) pattern attributed to wind-cold-damp, with a prevalence of cold, invading the joints and channels and characterized by acute pain in the joints exacerbated by exposure to cold and relieved by warmth. There may also be hypertonicity of the extremities.

Biomedical correspondence: rheumatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout.

Medicinal therapy: Treat by warming the channels and dispersing cold, assisted by coursing wind and dispelling dampness. Use formulas such as Poria Decoction (茯苓汤 fú líng tāng) and Five Accumulations Powder (五积散 wǔ jī sǎn).

Acumoxatherapy: Main points: Select BL-23 (Kidney Transport, 肾俞 shèn shù), GV-4 (Life Gate, 命门 mìng mén), and CV-4 (Pass Head, 关元 guān yuán); apply deep insertion, needle retention, and moxa or warm needle. Apply moxibustion on salt or ginger at CV-8 (Spirit Gate Tower, 神阙 shén què). For selection of points according to affected area, see impediment.

2. Skin impediment.