Lumbar strain refers to accumulated chronic injury of muscle, fascia, ligament, bone and joint in the waist region. It is a common disease resulting in chronic lumbago. A long term of exertion of waist or bending over as well as long-term unfavorable posture of waist may cause strain of lumber muscle, fascia, and ligament or blockage of stagnant blood, resulting in long-standing lumbago. If an acute lumbar sprain and contusion has not been treated timely and effectively, it may become a chronic lumbago. When a constitutionally weak person with kidney qi deficiency is invaded by exogenous pathogenic wind, cold and dampness that block the tendons and meridians, it will lead to chronic lumbago. Such congenital lumbosacral deformities as sacralization of lumbus vertebrae, lumbarization of sacral vertebrae, subfissure of sacral spine and free spinal process may cause abnormality of starting and ending points of muscles or imbalance movement of the lumbar region, hence resulting in strain.
Treatment based on syndrome differentiation:
-Syndrome of qi and blood stagnation -> tx: promote blood flow to remove stasis, remove swelling to stop pain.
-Syndrome of collateral disharmony -> tx: relax tenons and activate collaterals
-Syndrome of blockage of pathogenic wind, cold and dampness -> tx: expel wind, cold and dampness to remove the blockage.
-Syndrome of kidney in sufficiency-> tx: tonify kidney and strengthen tendons
Herbs for tx: Shujin Huoxue Tablet, Zhuangyao Jianshen Pill, Wangbi Granule, Jianbu Huqian PIll
