Cervical Spondylosis in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Cervical spondylosis is a common disease caused by cervical degenerative changes and surrounding tissue lesions, which is classified as "bi syndrome" and "neck pain" in traditional Chinese medicine. The causes of the disease are mainly related to the invasion of external evil, qi and blood stasis, liver and kidney insufficiency, excessive strain, and so on.

First, the Cause of Cervical Spondylosis in Traditional Chinese Medicine:

1. Wind-cold dampness evil attack

   • Manifestations: neck pain, stiffness and discomfort, increased cold, limited movement

   • Pathogenesis: Wind-cold dampness invading the neck, blocking the circulation of qi and blood, resulting in pain and stiffness

2. Qi and blood stasis

   • Manifestations: Neck pain like acupuncture, local stiffness, limited movement, aggravated at night

   • Pathogenesis: Trauma, chronic strain or long-term bad posture lead to poor qi and blood operation, meridian stasis

3. Insufficient liver and kidney essence and blood

   • Manifestations: neck stiffness and pain, accompanied by lumbago and knee weakness, dizziness, tinnitus, fatigue

   • Pathogenesis: Liver and kidney deficiency, muscle and bone dystrophy, spinal degeneration aggravates the disease

   • Most common: the elderly and infirm or long-term chronic strain

4. Phlegm-dampness block

   • Manifestations: neck heavy feeling, pain and stiffness, inflexible movement, accompanied by dizziness, body fat

   • Pathogenesis: spleen dysfunction, endogenous phlegm dampness, blocking meridians

5. Excessive strain

   • Performance: Neck pain, stiffness, often due to sedentary, desk work, poor posture aggravated

   • Pathogenesis: Prolonged strain leads to muscle loss, neck muscle stiffness, and poor Qi and blood operation

     

Second, TCM Treatment Methods:

1. Acupuncture:

   • Commonly used acupoints: Fengchi, cervical vertebrae, Jianjing, Dazhui, Hegu, Taichong, etc.

   • Effect: dredge meridians, relieve muscle spasms, and relieve pain

2. Cupping:

   • Cupping on the neck, shoulders and back can dispel dampness and cold, and relieve muscle tension

3. Moxibustion and hot moxibustion:

   • Acupoints: Dazhui, Fengchi, Shenshu, etc.

   • Effect: warm the meridians and dispel cold, activate blood circulation and dredge the meridians

4. Tuina acupressure massage:

   • Massage the Fengchi, Tianzhu, Jianjing and other acupoints on the neck to improve local blood circulation and relieve stiffness

5. TCM syndrome differentiation and treatment method: Wind-cold-dampness evil type

   • Treatment method: dispel wind and cold, dredge the meridians and activate the meridians

   • Commonly used prescriptions: Qianghuo Shengshi Decoction (Qianghuo, Fangfeng, Duhuo, Chuanxiong, etc.)

   • Additions and subtractions: For those with obvious cold evil, add cinnamon twig and asarum. For those with more damp evil, add Atractylodes macrocephala and Coix seed

   Qi and blood stasis type

   • Treatment: activate blood circulation and remove blood stasis, relax muscles and relieve pain

   • Common prescriptions: Taohong Siwu Decoction or Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction

   • Additions and subtractions: For those with severe pain, add Corydalis yanhusuo, frankincense and myrrh. For those with obvious blood stasis, add Salvia miltiorrhiza and safflower

   Liver and kidney essence and blood deficiency type

   • Treatment: nourish the liver and kidney, strengthen muscles and bones

   • Common prescriptions: Zuogui Pills or Duhuo Jisheng Decoction

   • Additions and subtractions: For those with obvious dizziness and tinnitus, add Lycium barbarum and Ligustrum lucidum. For those with obvious soreness and weakness of waist and knees, add Eucommia ulmoides and Viscum album

   Phlegm and dampness obstruction type

   • Treatment: invigorate the spleen and remove dampness, dredge meridians and activate collaterals

   • Common prescriptions: Erchen Decoction combined with Fangji Huangqi Decoction

   • Additions and subtractions: For patients with heavy phlegm and dampness, add Pinellia, Poria, and Alisma. For patients with obvious dizziness, add Atractylodes and Atractylodes

   Strain type

   • Treatment: replenish qi and nourish blood, relax muscles and activate collaterals

   • Common prescriptions: Buzhong Yiqi Decoction combined with Siwu Decoction

   • Additions and subtractions: For patients with obvious fatigue, add Astragalus and Ginseng. For patients with severe neck stiffness, add papaya and white peony

Third, Lifestyle Conditioning Suggestions:

1. Avoid sitting for long periods of time:

   • Every 1 hour of work, you should get up and move your neck and do simple neck stretching exercises

2. Keep warm:

   • Especially in cold seasons or air-conditioned environments, avoid getting your neck cold

3. Correct posture:

   • Maintain a good sitting posture and avoid bowing your head or bending over a desk for a long time

4. Strengthen exercise:

   • Do appropriate cervical spine health exercises, swimming or yoga to strengthen the neck muscles

5. Diet conditioning:

   • Eat more foods rich in calcium and vitamin D, such as milk, beans, and dark green vegetables

   • People with phlegm-damp constitution should eat less greasy food, quit smoking and drinking

Fourth, Prevention and Health Care:

1. Neck traction: Neck traction treatment under professional guidance can relieve nerve compression

2. Chinese medicine hot compress: Use Chinese herbal bags (such as Chuanxiong, Duhuo, Qianghuo herbs, etc.) to heat the neck to relieve pain

3. Work and rest rules: Ensure adequate sleep and avoid excessive fatigue

If the symptoms are severe or continue to worsen, you should see a doctor as soon as possible, combine modern medical examinations (such as X-rays, CT, MRI) to clarify the condition, and cooperate with comprehensive treatment to improve the condition. For Chinese medicine conditioning, please see a professional doctor for diagnosis before treatment. Do not take Chinese Herbs without authorization.