Numbness of the muscles according to Chinese Medicine
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.
Numbness of the muscles 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 numbness of the muscles 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 numbness of the muscles is often associated with joint pain, swollen joints and stiff neck in the pattern “Cold invading the Channels joints and muscles”. As you will see below, we have in record four patterns that can cause numbness of the muscles.
Once identified, patterns are treated using medicinal herbs, acupuncture, and other therapies. In the case of numbness of the muscles we’ve identified five 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 numbness of the muscles.
The four "patterns of disharmony" that can cause numbness of the muscles
In Chinese Medicine numbness of the muscles is a symptom for 4 patterns that we have on record. Below is a small explanation for each of them with links for more details.
Prepared Sichuan Aconite (Zhi Chuan Wu) is the king ingredient for Wu Tou Tang, a formula used for Cold invading the Channels joints and muscles
Cold invading the Channels joints and muscles
Pulse type(s): Tight (Jin), Floating (Fu)
In addition to numbness of the muscles, other symptoms associated with Cold invading the Channels joints and muscles include joint pain, swollen joints and stiff neck.
Cold invading the Channels joints and muscles is often treated with Wu Tou Tang, a herbal formula made of 6 herbs (including Prepared Sichuan Aconite - Zhi Chuan Wu - as a key herb). Wu Tou Tang belongs to the category of "formulas that warm the meridians and disperse cold", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Warms the channels and remove obstruaction".
Read more about Cold invading the Channels joints and muscles here
Dong Quai (Dang Gui) is the king ingredient for Shu Jing Huo Xue Tang, a formula used for Dampness invading the Channels joints and muscles
Dampness invading the Channels joints and muscles
Pulse type(s): Slow (Chi), Soggy (Ru)
In addition to numbness of the muscles, other symptoms associated with Dampness invading the Channels joints and muscles include joint pain and swollen joints.
Dampness invading the Channels joints and muscles is often treated with Shu Jing Huo Xue Tang, a herbal formula made of 16 herbs (including Dong Quai - Dang Gui - as a key herb). Shu Jing Huo Xue Tang belongs to the category of "formulas that invigorate blood and dispel blood stagnation", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Expels Wind Damp from the Channels".
Read more about Dampness invading the Channels joints and muscles here
Prepared Sichuan Aconite (Zhi Chuan Wu) is the king ingredient for Wu Tou Tang, a formula used for Painful Obstruction
Painful Obstruction
Pulse type(s): Tight (Jin), Wiry (Xian)
In addition to numbness of the muscles, other symptoms associated with Painful Obstruction include joint pain, swollen joints and stiff neck.
Painful Obstruction is often treated with Wu Tou Tang, a herbal formula made of 6 herbs (including Prepared Sichuan Aconite - Zhi Chuan Wu - as a key herb). Wu Tou Tang belongs to the category of "formulas that warm the meridians and disperse cold", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Warms the channels and remove obstruaction".
Peach Kernels (Tao Ren) is the king ingredient for Shen Tong Zhu Yu Tang, a formula used for Phlegm in the Channels joints and muscles
Phlegm in the Channels joints and muscles
Pulse type(s): Choppy (Se), Wiry (Xian)
The bone deformities that occur in chronic rheumatoid arthritis are seen as a form of Phlegm.
In addition to numbness of the muscles, other symptoms associated with Phlegm in the Channels joints and muscles include muscle pain, numbness in the limbs and stifling sensation in the chest.
Phlegm in the Channels joints and muscles is often treated with Shen Tong Zhu Yu Tang, a herbal formula made of 12 herbs (including Peach Kernels - Tao Ren - as a key herb). Shen Tong Zhu Yu Tang belongs to the category of "formulas that regulate blood", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Invigorates Blood".
Read more about Phlegm in the Channels joints and muscles here
Five herbal formulas that might help with numbness of the muscles
Xiao Huo Luo Dan
Source date: 1107 AD
Number of ingredients: 6 herbs
Key actions: Dispels Wind. Eliminates Dampness and transforms Phlegm . Invigorates the Blood. Removes Stagnation and relieves pain.
Why might Xiao Huo Luo Dan help with numbness of the muscles?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Cold invading the Channels joints and muscles' of which numbness of the muscles is a symptom.
Wu Tou Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 6 herbs
Key actions: Warms the channels and remove obstruaction. Disperse Cold and Dampness. Warms the joints. Relieve joints pain.
Why might Wu Tou Tang help with numbness of the muscles?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Cold invading the Channels joints and muscles' of which numbness of the muscles is a symptom.
Shu Jing Huo Xue Tang
Source date: 1587 AD
Number of ingredients: 16 herbs
Key actions: Expels Wind Damp from the Channels. Invigorates Blood. Unblocks the channels.
Why might Shu Jing Huo Xue Tang help with numbness of the muscles?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Dampness invading the Channels joints and muscles' of which numbness in the muscles is a symptom.
Da Fang Feng Tang
Source date: 1107 AD
Number of ingredients: 14 herbs
Key actions: Expel Wind Damp. Relieve pain. Tonify the Liver and the Kidneys. Tonify the Blood and Qi.
Why might Da Fang Feng Tang help with numbness of the muscles?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Painful Obstruction' of which numbness in the muscles is a symptom.
Shen Tong Zhu Yu Tang
Source date: 1830
Number of ingredients: 12 herbs
Key actions: Invigorates Blood. Unblocks painful obstruction. Relieves pain. Invigorate Qi. Dispels Blood Stagnation. Unblock Channels.
Why might Shen Tong Zhu Yu Tang help with numbness of the muscles?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Phlegm in the Channels joints and muscles' of which numbness of the muscles is a symptom.
The five Chinese Medicinal herbs most likely to help treat numbness of the muscles
Why might Liquorice (Gan Cao) help with numbness of the muscles?
Because Liquorice is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat numbness of the muscles as a symptom, like Wu Tou Tang or Da Fang Feng Tang for instance.
Liquorice is a Neutral herb that tastes Sweet. It targets the Heart, the Lung, the Spleen and the Stomach.
Its main actions are: Tonifies the Basal Qi and nourishes the Spleen Qi. Clears Heat and dispels toxicity. Moistens the Lungsexpel phlegm and stop coughing. Relieves spasms and alleviates pain. Harmonizes and moderates the effects of other herbs.
Why might White Peony Root (Bai Shao) help with numbness of the muscles?
Because White Peony Root is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat numbness of the muscles as a symptom, like Shu Jing Huo Xue Tang or Wu Tou Tang for instance.
White Peony Roots is a Neutral herb that tastes Bitter and Sour. It targets the Liver and the Spleen.
Its main actions are: Tonifies the Blood and preserves the Yin. Nourishes the Liver and assists in the smooth flow of Qi. Regulates the meridians and eases the pain.
Why might Achyranthes Root (Niu Xi) help with numbness of the muscles?
Because Achyranthes Root is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat numbness of the muscles as a symptom, like Da Fang Feng Tang or Shu Jing Huo Xue Tang for instance.
Achyranthes Roots is a Neutral herb that tastes Bitter and Sour. It targets the Kidney and the Liver.
Its main actions are: Moves Blood and relieves pain in the raw state. Tonic to the Liver and Kidneys and strengthens the bones and sinews. Reduces Damp-Heat in the Lower Burner. Regulates the flow of reckless Blood caused by either ascendant Liver Yang or Yin Deficient Fire.
Why might Myrrh (Mo Yao) help with numbness of the muscles?
Because Myrrh is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat numbness of the muscles as a symptom, like Xiao Huo Luo Dan or Shen Tong Zhu Yu Tang for instance.
Myrrh is a Neutral herb that tastes Bitter. It targets the Spleen, the Heart and the Liver.
Its main actions are: Moves Blood and relieves Stagnation and pain caused by Blood Stagnation. Assists in wound healing.
Why might Milkvetch Root (Huang Qi) help with numbness of the muscles?
Because Milkvetch Root is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat numbness of the muscles as a symptom, like Wu Tou Tang or Da Fang Feng Tang for instance.
Milkvetch Roots is a Warm herb that tastes Sweet. It targets the Lung and the Spleen.
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 numbness of the muscles
Joint pain Swollen joints Stiff neck Muscle pain Numbness in the limbs Stifling sensation in the chest Bone deformities Lumbar pain Shoulder pain Knee pain