Sprain and contusion here refer to the injury of soft tissues, such as skin, muscles and tendons of the trunk or limbs without fracture, dislocation or wound.
Main manifestations are pain and swelling of the injured areas, and motor impairment of the joints.
Etiology and Pathogenesis
Local stagnation of qi and blood in the meridians of diseased areas is due to injury of tendinous tissues and joints by violent movement, awkward posture of the body, bruise, falling, traction or over twisting.
Differentiation
Main manifestation: Local swelling and pain, redness or ecchymosis. A new injury is slightly swollen with tenderness. Large area of swelling together with motor impairment of the joints is found in serious cases. Old injury is characterized by absence of marked swelling but repeated recurrence due to invasion of exogenous pathogenic wind, cold and damp. The injury mostly happens in the shoulder, elbow, wrist, back, hip, knee, and ankle.
Analysis: Sprain or contusion at any place of the body is due to tendinous injury with local qi stagnation and blood stasis, manifested by swelling and pain with tenderness. In a protracted case, qi and blood are consumed, and their circulation in the meridians tends to be further obstructed by exposure to wind, cold and damp. That is why pain is exacerbated in bad weather.
Appendix: Torticollis
Torticollis here refers to wryneck caused by an awkward sleeping posture or attack of wind cold on the nape that leads to disturbance of local circulation of qi in the meridians. Its main manifestations are stiffness and pain of the neck and nape, and wryneck towards one side with motor impairment.
Sprain and contusion can successfully be treated with acupuncture.
For more information, please call Dr. Jeon at Jun’s Acupuncture Clinic at 661-799-7369.