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.
Lying with body curled 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 lying with body curled 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 lying with body curled is often associated with feeling of cold, diarrhea and chills in the pattern “Lesser Yin Cold Transformation”.
Once identified, patterns are treated using medicinal herbs, acupuncture, and other therapies. In the case of lying with body curled we’ve identified that a herbal formula called Si Ni Tang can help treat the patterns behind the symptom.
Lesser Yin Cold Transformation, a "pattern of disharmony" that can cause lying with body curled
In Chinese Medicine lying with body curled is a symptom for the pattern "Lesser Yin Cold Transformation". Below is a small explanation for it with links for more details.
Prepared Aconite (Zhi Fu Zi) is the king ingredient for Si Ni Tang, a formula used for Lesser Yin Cold Transformation
Lesser Yin Cold Transformation
Pulse type(s): Deep (Chen), Slow (Chi), Weak (Ruo)
In addition to lying with body curled, other symptoms associated with Lesser Yin Cold Transformation include feeling of cold, diarrhea and chills.
Lesser Yin Cold Transformation is often treated with Si Ni Tang, a herbal formula made of 3 herbs (including Prepared Aconite - Zhi Fu Zi - as a key herb). Si Ni Tang belongs to the category of "formulas that rescue devastated yang", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Rescues devastated Yang".
A herbal formula that might help with lying with body curled
Si Ni Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 3 herbs
Key actions: Rescues devastated Yang. Warms the Middle Burner. Stops diarrhea.
Why might Si Ni Tang help with lying with body curled?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Lesser Yin Cold Transformation' of which lying with body curled is a symptom.
Other symptoms characteristic of Lesser Yin Cold Transformation include feeling of cold, diarrhea and chills.
Prepared aconite might help with lying with body curled
Why might Prepared Aconite (Zhi Fu Zi) help with lying with body curled?
Because it is a key herb in Si Ni Tang, a herbal formula indicated to treat the pattern 'Lesser Yin Cold Transformation' (a pattern with lying with body curled 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.