Acupuncture Treatment of Leg Pain: A Case Study – Dr Raman Kapur

New Delhi, April 5, 2017: Maria, an 84-year-old woman from Barcelona, Spain, visited TCM-Western Medicine Integration Hospital, Qingdao on August,19,1992, for pains she suffered in the lower part of her right leg.

Five years previous, she hurt her leg in an accident.  Although healed, she still had pain or even difficulty in walking when she was exposed to coldness.  She relieved her symptoms by taking antirheumatics at home, but she also often suffered relapse during weather changes.  On this occasion, she suffered an attack in China while visiting Qingdao, a geographical area noted for its wet and damp climate.

In the examination, she was found to be normally built.  The face was with a slight pink color.  The tongue coating was pale and whitish.  Her pulse was taut and tight and her skin was dry.  There was pain in her right leg which prevented her from stretching out.

There were several pressure pain points of the Urinary Bladder channel of Foot-Shaoyang and of Stomach meridian of Foot-Yangming and of Gall Bladder meridian of Foot-Taiyang.

Based on the differentiation of the above-mentioned symptoms, it was determined that the pain in her leg was due to attacks of pathogens of Wind,Cold and Dampness and Stagnation of Qi and blood which blocked the meridians and collaterals.  The principle of the treatment was to promote the Qi-Blood flow by warming the meridians and to stop the pain.

Manipulation: The needle was slowly inserted into the point and slightly twisted and rotated with the method of uniform reinforcing and reducing until Deqi( the sensation of soreness, numbness and distention at the needling area) was achieved.  The needles can then be retained for 15-20 minutes.  “Acupuncture with the needle warmed by burning moxa” was performed over specific points.  In these cases , a moxa  stub was attached to the inserted needle handle.  After the stub is burned, the needle should be manipulated for 2-3 seconds so as to lead the warmth to the affected site.  This method had the effect of warming the meridians, dispelling the cold, and stopping the pain.

Needling at specific points can help remove pain in lumbosacral portion and in the heels.  It can also stimulate the sural nerve and the saphenous nerve.

According to the TCM theory, “insert Qi-Blood circulation happens in Coldness while active Qi-Blood circulation occurs in Warmth.”Logically, the effect of warming needle is to bring warmth to the meridians and collaterals.  Any disease with Qi and Blood stagnation can be treated with warm needling.

So the patient was thus treated.  The treatment was applied once every other day.  A mere two treatment s were required to permanently cure the patient of the pain in her leg.

Using this therapeutic method,  over 50 cases of rheumatoid leg pain or ischialgia neuralgia with excellent therapeutic effect were treated in the hospital.

The author is the head of the department of Acupuncture at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.