Lower Body Pain

May 2, 2005

For about six to eight weeks now I've experienced pain

in my lower back, hips, thigh muscles, knees, shin

muscle area, ankles and soles of the feet and just

recently swelling in my feet and ankles. Strangely, it

started from the feet up. The pain is most excessive

in the morning and I've had to take ibuprofen, daily,

just to function. It hurts to bend, walk, stand until

the " medicine " kicks in. Whenever I don't move for a

period of time, like driving, and then try to move it

hurts terribly. Even during the time period when the

medicine is working. But during this time period,

after moving for a while, the pain eases. It never

completely goes away. Concerned people have suggested

arthritis. I'm only thirty years young and have always

been very active. I've never had any health issues of

any kind. I oonly get sick about once a year, by the

Grace of God. I'm a carpenter by trade and my

profession keeps me active. I can't perform the way I

used to. Please send me your best advice. May Our

Creator Guide your words.

Ahmeail Muhammad.

May 2, 2005

Hi Ahmeail:

From a Western or allopathic perspective, there are blood tests to confirm

Rheumatoid Arthritis (which by what you describe sounds suspiciously like RA).

However, it would not hurt to ask your MD for testing to rule out the

possibility of other conditions which your symptoms could indicate also.

RA (as are other musculo-skeletal disorders) is very treatable with herbal

formulas and Acupuncture & Tui Na (Chinese Massage). I encourage you to find a

qualified Acupuncturist for a full examination and treatment plan.

Diet is an extremely important consideration here as well.

TH

Ahmeail Merritt <ahmee1 wrote:

For about six to eight weeks now I've experienced pain

in my lower back, hips, thigh muscles, knees, shin

muscle area, ankles and soles of the feet and just

recently swelling in my feet and ankles. Strangely, it

started from the feet up. The pain is most excessive

in the morning and I've had to take ibuprofen, daily,

just to function. It hurts to bend, walk, stand until

the " medicine " kicks in. Whenever I don't move for a

period of time, like driving, and then try to move it

hurts terribly. Even during the time period when the

medicine is working. But during this time period,

after moving for a while, the pain eases. It never

completely goes away. Concerned people have suggested

arthritis. I'm only thirty years young and have always

been very active. I've never had any health issues of

any kind. I oonly get sick about once a year, by the

Grace of God. I'm a carpenter by trade and my

profession keeps me active. I can't perform the way I

used to. Please send me your best advice. May Our

Creator Guide your words.

Ahmeail Muhammad.

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May 2, 2005

Hi Ahmeail, and welcome to Chinese Traditional Medicine.

You've come to the right list at the right time for discussions of

pain in the legs and back. I suggest logging onto the

Chinese Traditional Medicine website and checking out some of the many recent

messages on the subject. There are also many discussions on this in

the message base. (The link to the website will be at the bottom of

this message.)

I don't know how familiar you are with TCM. The beginning posts in

the message base are designed to walk those who are new to TCM and

interested through the basics.

If you're not familiar with TCM, many of the concepts and terms are

going to sound very strange at first. Just bear with it, and it

starts to fall into place.

I'm going to leave the more in-depth analysis to the professionals

on the list. What I do is to explain some of the basics to those new

to TCM so they can follow along.

Chinese Traditional Medicine , Ahmeail Merritt <ahmee1>

wrote:

> For about six to eight weeks now I've experienced pain

> in my lower back, hips, thigh muscles, knees, shin

> muscle area, ankles and soles of the feet and just

> recently swelling in my feet and ankles.

Whenever a TCM healer hears pain in the lower back and knees, the

healer automatically will suspect Kidney imbalance and rule in or

out. Note that the word " Kidneys " is capitalized. This is because

the TCM concept of the Kidneys is not equivalent to the anatomical

kidneys. The Kidneys do contain many of the functions of the

kidneys, but also many of the functions of the adrenal glands. And

the state of the bones and teeth as well as the ears and hearing.

(Yes, I know this sounds weird, but bear with it.)

You said this started 6 to 8 weeks ago. Was there any unusual or

extreme weather conditions around that time? Dampness, cold, or

wind. For the students on the list: I'm checking here for the

possibility of Wind-Cold-Damp invasion. Painful Obstruction

Syndrome, aka Bi Syndrome. Arthritis and rheumatism in Western

terms. The good news is that if the pain is due to POS, TCM has a

number of ways to dispel the " Evil " (Wind, Cold, and/or Damp). TCM

doesn't just treat symptoms, in this case the pain, it goes for the

Root of the problem.

Are there any feelings of heaviness in the lower body and legs? I'm

checking here for the possibility of Spleen involvement.

One of the functions of Spleen Qi to is " transform and transport "

water in the body. Weak Spleen Qi is one of the possible Roots of

edema. But so are various Kidney imbalances.

> Concerned people have suggested

> arthritis. I'm only thirty years young and have always

> been very active.

There's a post on here from a few days ago about Protective Qi and

its role in protecting the body from invasion by external " Evils "

(Wind, Cold, Damp, Dryness, and Heat). Anyone of any age can have

their Protective Qi temporarily overwhelmed by a particularly

strong " Perncious Evil " . One that is particularly strong or unusual

for that time of year. Or one that is particularly extreme in a

short period of time. Like the temperature dropping 15 or more

degrees in the space of an hour. Like the barometric pressure (Wind)

dropping suddenly. Like the humidity suddenly and sharply rising.

Etc.

Once a Pernicious Evil invades, it can stay " lodged " into the body.

To put this in more Western terms, the effects of the Cold, Wind, or

Dampness continue. There are herbs and acupoints which will expel

Dampness, expel Wind, and expel Cold and warm the body. (Actually,

you'll need moxa or at least a heating pad if acupoints alone are

used.) Medications for pain are not going to get rid of the Wind,

Cold, and/or Damp.

But a correct diagnosis as to the Root has to be arrived at before

any treatment. I highly recommend seeing a TCM healer in your area

if there is one. If the healer is an acupuncturist, check to make

sure that the acupuncturist is trained in and uses TCM. Not all of

them are and do.

A TCM healer also will want to know if the problem is helped or made

worse by heat? Helped or made worse by cold? Helped or made worse

by pressure?

Now I'm not fobbing you off on a local TCM healer. Just pointing out

that seeing a TCM healer in person is a lot easier for many people

than researching the problem and cautiously trying some things.

Especially when one is in pain and needs some quick relief. And,

given the number of people on this list who are experiencing back

pain, there's sure to be some follow-up to your post.

May 2, 2005

1. are your eyes blood shot?

2. is there a cracke on your tongue and where? [front 1/3, mid 1/3. back

1/3 - central or to the side]

3. is there a yellow green tinge on sides of forehead?

4. is there a green blue tinge under eyes or on temple?

5. is your one shoulder higher than other?

6. do your sides at andomen bulge out?

Holmes

Ahmeail Merritt wrote:

>For about six to eight weeks now I've experienced pain

>in my lower back, hips, thigh muscles, knees, shin

>muscle area, ankles and soles of the feet and just

>recently swelling in my feet and ankles. Strangely, it

>started from the feet up. The pain is most excessive

>in the morning and I've had to take ibuprofen, daily,

>just to function. It hurts to bend, walk, stand until

>the " medicine " kicks in. Whenever I don't move for a

>period of time, like driving, and then try to move it

>hurts terribly. Even during the time period when the

>medicine is working. But during this time period,

>after moving for a while, the pain eases. It never

>completely goes away. Concerned people have suggested

>arthritis. I'm only thirty years young and have always

>been very active. I've never had any health issues of

>any kind. I oonly get sick about once a year, by the

>Grace of God. I'm a carpenter by trade and my

>profession keeps me active. I can't perform the way I

>used to. Please send me your best advice. May Our

>Creator Guide your words.

>

>Ahmeail Muhammad.

>

May 2, 2005

I am not familiar with all the ways rhumatoid arthitis can set into

an individual. But when it does it is sudden and causes joint

damage if not treated early and cause crippling. Please visit

your doctor to be sure you don't have this problem. They can

give you a blood test to determine this. It is autoimmune problem.

I talked to a friend last month and she told me she began waking

up feeling awful all over but mostly in her hands. They swelled up

and got red and painful and had a hard time doing anything. She

finally went to the doctor and she had that kind of arthritis.

Being diagnosed early, they have medication to slow down the

disease. I am sure acupunctur would help in some way but

don't put off finding out. You can mad a decison once you know.

My mother had this and was effected in her knees and ankles.

Liz D.

> [Original Message]

> Ahmeail Merritt <ahmee1

> <Chinese Traditional Medicine >

> 5/2/2005 8:16:26 AM

> [Chinese Traditional Medicine] Lower Body Pain

>

> For about six to eight weeks now I've experienced pain

> in my lower back, hips, thigh muscles, knees, shin

> muscle area, ankles and soles of the feet and just

> recently swelling in my feet and ankles. Strangely, it

> started from the feet up. The pain is most excessive

> in the morning and I've had to take ibuprofen, daily,

> just to function. It hurts to bend, walk, stand until

> the " medicine " kicks in. Whenever I don't move for a

> period of time, like driving, and then try to move it

> hurts terribly. Even during the time period when the

> medicine is working. But during this time period,

> after moving for a while, the pain eases. It never

> completely goes away. Concerned people have suggested

> arthritis. I'm only thirty years young and have always

> been very active. I've never had any health issues of

> any kind. I oonly get sick about once a year, by the

> Grace of God. I'm a carpenter by trade and my

> profession keeps me active. I can't perform the way I

> used to. Please send me your best advice. May Our

> Creator Guide your words.

>

> Ahmeail Muhammad.

>

> Post message: Chinese Traditional Medicine

> Subscribe: Chinese Traditional Medicine-

> Un: Chinese Traditional Medicine-

> List owner: Chinese Traditional Medicine-owner

>

> Shortcut URL to this page:

> /community/Chinese Traditional Medicine

>

May 2, 2005

Oh yes, it is common for that kind of arthritis to show up

in middle age. You realy aren't that young.

Liz D.

> Chinese Traditional Medicine-

>

May 3, 2005

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Rabbitbrain

Chinese Traditional Medicine

Monday, May 02, 2005 12:01 PM

RE: [Chinese Traditional Medicine] Lower Body Pain