Treatise on Needling Lumbar Pain

When the foot-taiyang channel is diseased, it causes lower back pain that pulls on the nape, spine, sacrum, and back, with a sensation as heavy as carrying a burden. Treatment involves needling Weizhong (the Xi-cleft point of the taiyang main channel) to cause bleeding, but in spring, bleeding is not allowed.

When the foot-shaoyang channel is diseased, it causes lower back pain that feels like a needle piercing the skin; the body has difficulty bending, stretching, or turning, and one cannot look back. Treatment involves needling the apex of Cheng-gu (that is, Yanglingquan) on the foot-shaoyang channel to cause bleeding. Cheng-gu is located at the solitary protuberance of bone on the outer side of the knee, but in summer, bleeding is not allowed.

When the foot-yangming channel is diseased, it causes lower back pain that prevents turning the head; if one turns the head, it seems as if seeing something, and there is a tendency to be easily sorrowful. Treatment involves needling the points of the foot-yangming channel on the front of the shin three times, and harmonizing the qi above and below to cause bleeding. But in autumn, bleeding is not allowed.

When the foot-shaoyin channel is diseased, it causes lower back pain that pulls toward the inner side of the spine. Treatment involves needling the points of the foot-shaoyin channel above the inner ankle twice, but in spring, bleeding is not allowed; if too much blood is let, it will be difficult for the qi and blood to recover.

When the foot-jueyin channel is diseased, it causes lower back pain, with the waist feeling as taut as a drawn bowstring. Treatment involves needling the foot-jueyin channel, at the outer side of the fish-belly between the calf and heel, where palpation reveals a string-of-beads-like accumulation; needle that spot. This condition may cause the person to speak excessively or to be silent and confused; needle three times.

When the Jie channel is diseased, it causes lower back pain that pulls toward the shoulder, with blurred vision and frequent enuresis. Treatment involves needling the Jie channel, at the boundary of the tendons and flesh on the knee, at the transverse running blood vessel lateral to Weizhong, causing bleeding until the blood changes from purplish-black to normal.

When the Jie channel is diseased, it causes lower back pain that feels like a girdle pulling, or like the waist is broken, and there is a tendency to be easily frightened. Treatment involves needling the Jie channel, at a blood vessel in Weizhong that resembles clustered millet grains; after needling, blood spurts out and is black in color; stop when red blood appears.

When the Tongyin channel is diseased, it causes lower back pain, with pain like having a small hammer inside and local congestion and swelling. Treatment involves needling the Tongyin channel, at the end of the Juegu point (Xuanzhong) above the outer ankle, needling three times.

When the Yangwei channel is diseased, it causes lower back pain, with local congestion and swelling at the painful area. Treatment involves needling the Yangwei channel; this channel meets the taiyang channel below the calf, about one chi from the ground.

When the Hengluo channel is diseased, it causes lower back pain that prevents bending or looking up; when looking up, one fears falling. This is due to heavy lifting damaging the waist, causing the Hengluo channel to rupture with blood stasis lodged within. Treatment involves needling between Weiyang (Xiyang) and the tendons, a few cun upward, needling two points side by side to cause bleeding.

When the Huiyin channel is diseased, it causes lower back pain, with profuse sweating at the painful area; when sweat dries, it makes one want to drink water, and after drinking, one wants to run. Treatment involves needling the Zhiyang channel, three times above, at a location side by side above the Yangqiao channel and five cun below Weizhong; observe where the blood vessels are engorged and needle to cause bleeding.

When the Feiyang channel is diseased, it causes lower back pain, with a sensation of heat at the painful area; in severe cases, there may be sorrow and fear. Treatment involves needling the Feiyang channel, five cun above the inner ankle, in front of the foot-shaoyin channel, where it meets the Yinwei channel.

When the Changyang channel is diseased, it causes lower back pain that pulls toward the chest, with blurred vision; in severe cases, the body arches backward, and the tongue curls, preventing speech. Treatment involves needling the inner tendon twice, at a location in front of the large tendon above the inner ankle, behind the foot-taiyin channel, two cun above the inner ankle.

When the San channel is diseased, it causes lower back pain with fever; if the heat is severe, it produces agitation, and there is a sensation like a horizontal stick beneath the waist; in severe cases, enuresis occurs. Treatment involves needling the San channel, at the boundary between bone and flesh in front of the knee, at the lateral binding of the collateral vessel, needling three times.

When the Rounli channel is diseased, it causes lower back pain that prevents coughing; coughing causes the sinews to contract and spasm. Treatment involves needling the Rounli channel twice, outside the foot-taiyang channel, behind the Juegu point of the foot-shaoyang channel.

Lower back pain that follows both sides of the spine, reaching up to the head, with a stiff nape and blurred vision, as if about to fall. Treatment involves needling Weizhong on the foot-taiyang channel to cause bleeding.

Lower back pain with cold above the waist. Treatment involves needling the foot-taiyang and foot-yangming channels.

Lower back pain with heat above the waist. Treatment involves needling the foot-jueyin channel.

Lower back pain preventing bending and looking up. Treatment involves needling the foot-shaoyang channel.

Lower back pain with internal heat and panting. Treatment involves needling the foot-shaoyin channel, and needling Weizhong to cause bleeding.

Lower back pain with cold above the waist and inability to turn the head. Treatment involves needling the foot-yangming channel.

Lower back pain with heat above the waist. Treatment involves needling the foot-taiyin channel.

Lower back pain with internal heat and panting. Treatment involves needling the foot-shaoyin channel.

Lower back pain with difficult bowel movements. Treatment involves needling the foot-shaoyin channel.

Lower back pain with distention and fullness in the lower abdomen. Treatment involves needling the foot-jueyin channel.

Lower back pain as if broken, preventing bending, looking up, or lifting. Treatment involves needling the foot-taiyang channel.

Lower back pain pulling toward the inner side of the spine. Treatment involves needling the foot-shaoyin channel.

Lower back pain pulling toward the lower abdomen and the hypochondrium, preventing lying supine. Treatment involves needling the meeting place at the lumbosacral region, at the muscles on the two iliac bones. Determine the number of needle insertions according to the waxing and waning of the moon; the effect is immediate after needling. Use the contralateral needling method: needle the right for left-side disease, and the left for right-side disease.