The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.
cold feeling in the legs and the back redirects here
Cold legs can be the consequence of several so-called “patterns of disharmony” in Chinese Medicine.
Chinese Medicine sees the body as a system, not a sum of isolated parts. A "pattern" is when the system's harmony is disrupted, leading to symptoms or signs that something is wrong (like cold legs here). It is similar to the concept of disease in Western Medicine but not quite: a Western disease can often be explained by several Chinese patterns and vice-versa.
A pattern often manifests itself in a combination of symptoms that, at first glance, do not seem necessarily related to each others. For instance here cold legs is often associated with feeling of cold, scanty clear urination and palpitations in the pattern “Kidney Yang Deficiency with Water overflowing”.
Once identified, patterns are treated using medicinal herbs, acupuncture, and other therapies. In the case of cold legs we’ve identified that a herbal formula called Wu Ling San can help treat the patterns behind the symptom.
Kidney Yang Deficiency with Water overflowing, a "pattern of disharmony" that can cause cold legs
In Chinese Medicine cold legs is a symptom for the pattern "Kidney Yang Deficiency with Water overflowing". Below is a small explanation for it with links for more details.
The Kidneys is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Kidneys in Chinese Medicine
Kidney Yang Deficiency with Water overflowing
Pulse type(s): Deep (Chen), Slow (Chi), Weak (Ruo)
In addition to cold legs, other symptoms associated with Kidney Yang Deficiency with Water overflowing include feeling of cold, scanty clear urination and palpitations.
Kidney Yang Deficiency with Water overflowing is often treated with Wu Ling San, a herbal formula made of 5 herbs (including Water Plantain - Ze Xie - as a key herb). Wu Ling San belongs to the category of "formulas that promote urination and leach out dampness", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Promotes urination,".
Read more about Kidney Yang Deficiency with Water overflowing here
A herbal formula that might help with cold legs
Wu Ling San
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Key actions: Promotes urination,. Warms the Yang. Strengthens the Spleen. Promotes Qi transformation function. Drains Dampness. Clears edema.
Why might Wu Ling San help with cold legs?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Kidney Yang Deficiency with Water overflowing' of which cold legs is a symptom.
Other symptoms characteristic of Kidney Yang Deficiency With Water Overflowing include feeling of cold, scanty clear urination and palpitations.
Acupuncture points used for cold legs
Water plantain might help with cold legs
Why might Water Plantain (Ze Xie) help with cold legs?
Because it is a key herb in Wu Ling San, a herbal formula indicated to treat the pattern 'Kidney Yang Deficiency with Water overflowing' (a pattern with cold legs as a symptom)
Water Plantain is a Cold herb that tastes Sweet. It targets the Bladder and the Kidney.
Its main actions are: Causes urination and removes Damp-Heat
Other symptoms often associated with cold legs
Feeling of cold Scanty clear urination Palpitations Breathlessness Cold hands Coughing Asthma