Key Diagnostic Points:

• Soreness, distention, radiating pain or heaviness of the neck, shoulder, arm or head, numbness of the fingers.
• Usually seen in patients over the age of forty.
• Usually due to hyperosteogeny of the cervical vertebra which stimulates or oppresses the cervical nerve root, spinal cord, vertebral artery or sympathetic nerve.
• In TCM terms, it is considered tendon and bone Bi syndrome.

Differential Diagnosis:

Kidney deficiency and stagnation of Qi and Blood.

Treatment Principle:

Treatment principle: Tonify Kidney and activate the Qi and Blood circulation in the channels and collaterals.

Point and Technique Prescription:

Cervical level Hua Tou Jia Ji points: (Even stimulation) Commonly chosen points are at the levels of C5, 6, and 7.

GB 20 and UB 10: (Even stimulation) Both the GB and UB channels can treat tendon and bones. These are also local points.

SI 3: (Even stimulation) Shu stream point for heavy and painful joints. One of the 8 confluent points which intersects with the Du channel which runs through the nape of the neck.

Lu 7: (Reinforced) One of the four key points, this one for head and neck. The Luo connecting point tonifies the Lung channel which is the mother of the Kidney channel, and so tonifies the Kidneys. The Lung channel (metal) is the mother channel of Kidney (water). Also, this point can tonify Yin in the Kidney and elsewhere because it is the confluent point for the Ren channel, the "Sea of Yin Channels."

SJ 5: (Even stimulation) San Jiao channel for Qi diseases. Luo connecting points are especially suited to treat channel problems, can move Qi in the channel to stop pain where it is stagnant elsewhere.

UB 23 (Reinforced) Kidney Shu. Tonifies Kidney.

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