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.
Desire to lie down curled up 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 desire to lie down curled up 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 desire to lie down curled up is often associated with cold limbs, feeling of cold and loose stools in the pattern “Spleen Yang Deficiency”.
Once identified, patterns are treated using medicinal herbs, acupuncture, and other therapies. In the case of desire to lie down curled up we’ve identified two herbal formulas that may help treat patterns behind the symptom.
We’ve also selected below the five medicinal herbs that we think are most likely to help treat desire to lie down curled up.
Spleen Yang Deficiency, a "pattern of disharmony" that can cause desire to lie down curled up
In Chinese Medicine desire to lie down curled up is a symptom for the pattern "Spleen Yang Deficiency". Below is a small explanation for it with links for more details.
The Spleen is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Spleen in Chinese Medicine
Spleen Yang Deficiency
Pulse type(s): Deep (Chen), Slow (Chi), Weak (Ruo)
Tongue color: Pale
Spleen Yang Deficiency often develops from Spleen Qi Deficiency, but it is more extensive and severe with additional Cold symptoms, such as cold feeling and cold limbs. The causes are similar to these of Spleen Qi Deficiency, along with surplus consumption of cold, raw foods and drinks and overexposure to cold damp environments and climates.
In addition to desire to lie down curled up, other symptoms associated with Spleen Yang Deficiency include cold limbs, feeling of cold and loose stools.
Spleen Yang Deficiency is often treated with Zhen Wu Tang, a herbal formula made of 5 herbs (including Prepared Aconite - Zhi Fu Zi - as a key herb). Zhen Wu Tang belongs to the category of "formulas that warm and transform water and dampness", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Warms and tonifies the Yang and Qi of the Spleen and Kidneys".
Two herbal formulas that might help with desire to lie down curled up
Zhen Wu Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Key actions: Warms and tonifies the Yang and Qi of the Spleen and Kidneys. Eliminates Dampness.
Why might Zhen Wu Tang help with desire to lie down curled up?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Spleen Yang Deficiency' of which desire to lie down curled up is a symptom.
Other symptoms characteristic of Spleen Yang Deficiency include cold limbs, feeling of cold and loose stools.
Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang
Source date: 1247
Number of ingredients: 10 herbs
Key actions: Tonifies Qi of the Spleen and Stomach (Middle Burner). Raises the Yang. Detoxifies. Lifts what has sunken.
Why might Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang help with desire to lie down curled up?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Spleen Yang Deficiency' of which desire to lie down curled up is a symptom.
Other symptoms characteristic of Spleen Yang Deficiency include cold limbs, feeling of cold and loose stools.
The five Chinese Medicinal herbs most likely to help treat desire to lie down curled up
Why might Fresh Ginger (Sheng Jiang) help with desire to lie down curled up?
Because Fresh Ginger is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat desire to lie down curled up as a symptom, like Zhen Wu Tang or Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang for instance.
Fresh Ginger is a Warm herb that tastes Pungent. It targets the Spleen, the Stomach and the Lung.
Its main actions are: Relieves the Exterior and disperses Cold. Warms and circulates Qi in the Middle Burner. Calms a restless fetus and treats morning sickness. Treats seafood poisoning.
Why might Atractylodes Rhizome (Bai Zhu) help with desire to lie down curled up?
Because Atractylodes Rhizome is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat desire to lie down curled up as a symptom, like Zhen Wu Tang or Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang for instance.
Atractylodes Rhizomes is a Warm herb that tastes Bitter and Sweet. It targets the Spleen and the Stomach.
Its main actions are: Tonifies the Spleen Qi. Fortifies the Spleen Yang and dispels Damp through urination. Tonifies Qi and stops sweating. Calms restless fetus when due to Deficiency of Spleen Qi.
Why might Prepared Aconite (Zhi Fu Zi) help with desire to lie down curled up?
Because it is a key herb in Zhen Wu Tang, a herbal formula indicated to treat the pattern 'Spleen Yang Deficiency' (a pattern with desire to lie down curled up as a symptom)
Prepared Aconite is a Hot herb that tastes Pungent and Sweet. It targets the Spleen, the Heart and the Kidney.
Its main actions are: Raises the collapse of Yang. Warms the meridians and relieves pain caused by Cold. Reduces Damp caused by Deficiency in Yang.
Why might Yam (Shan Yao) help with desire to lie down curled up?
Because it is a key herb in Yi Huang Tang, a herbal formula indicated to treat the pattern 'Spleen Yang Deficiency' (a pattern with desire to lie down curled up as a symptom)
Yam is a Neutral herb that tastes Sweet. It targets the Spleen, the Kidney and the Lung.
Its main actions are: Tonifies the Spleen and Stomach. Tonifies the Lung Qi and nourishes the Lung Yin. Nourishes the Kidneys and consolidates Jing.
Why might Milkvetch Root (Huang Qi) help with desire to lie down curled up?
Because it is a key herb in Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang, a herbal formula indicated to treat the pattern 'Spleen Yang Deficiency' (a pattern with desire to lie down curled up as a symptom)
Milkvetch Roots is a Warm herb that tastes Sweet. It targets the Spleen and the Lung.
Its main actions are: Tonifies the Wei Qi and stops perspiration. Tonifies the Spleen Qi and the Yang Qi of the Earth Element. Tonifies the Qi and Blood. Expels pus and assists in the healing of wounds. Helps to regulate water metabolism in the body and reduce edema.
Other symptoms often associated with desire to lie down curled up
Cold limbs Feeling of cold Loose stools Edema Weak Limbs Poor appetite Fatigue Lassitude Pale complexion Chills