Wind carries other pathogens into the body - heat, cold, dampness - these are common causes of joint pain, aches and arthritic conditions.
Wind causes things to contract and stiffen up...a common scenario in Perth at this time of year is the typical waking up with a stiff neck after a hot summers night...This happens because during the hot weather, it's common to be lying in bed under the fan or with the window open so the wind is directly blowing onto a persons uncovered skin. Of course it's hot so the person either lies in bed with little covering or because of the heat can be sweating. The pores are open and the wind can easily invade the body through the open pores.
When you wake up with a stiff neck, or a neck pain which is pulling your head to one side, in Chinese medicine the cause is Pathogenic wind invading the Bladder and/or Gall Bladder channels(these are the channels located on the neck).
The Solution?
The good news is that Chinese medicine is all about prevention...try to sleep with a thin sheet or t-shirt on so if the weather does cool down and wind starts to invade you have this level of protection. Try to face so it's not directly on your body and make sure air conditioning vents are not directly blowing onto you. If you do have stiffness, pain and particularity severe pain with restricted movement try to use a hot pack for about 10-20 mins and then try to free up the movement with slow normal movements.
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| A moxa stick applied to an acupuncture point |
Marie is available for treatments and can be contacted at the Metro Health clinic on 089371 8077 or email info@metrohealth.com.au.
2 comments:
Stiff necks usually occur after sleeping without changing the position of your head. You feel numb, and there's a sudden slash of pain when you move even just a little. But if you plan to consult for a therapy, it's not advisable to go right away because it might only hurt you more.
Shan @Brandon Chiropractor
Thanks for your comment Shan. In Chinese medicine we think the sooner you seek treatment the better. The TCM practitioner will give a different treatment for an acute problem - sometimes we might only use distal points so to not agrivate the local area.
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