Causes of Bi Syndrome

Bi means blockage, difficulty of flowing. It is above all a stagnation. The Bi syndrome refers to pain due to an obstruction of the channels. This is due to:

External factors

Attack of external perverse energies: Wind, Cold and Dampness. They usually group together more than one at a time, for example Wind + Cold, Cold + Dampness or all three together.

Heat normally does not attack the channels producing obstruction, in fact it is usually good for treatment. Heat accelerates the circulation of Qi and Blood, eliminates Cold, dries Dampness and unblocks.

We are continuously exposed to these external energies, but they become pathological when they exceed the capacity of our vital energy (Zheng Qi) to protect us from them by being:

• Too intense.
• Too prolonged in time.
• Too frequent.
• Out of season: for example Cold in summer.

These energies can reach the organs directly without affecting the channels: Lung, Stomach and Uterus are vulnerable to attacks of Cold.

External factors pass into the body through the 6 Levels. For example Cold penetrates first in the Yang layers: Tai Yang, Shao Yang and Yang Ming. It can internalize and reach the Tai Yin, Shao Yin and Jue Yin layers.

They can also pass into the interior through the cutaneous systems: Sun Luo, Zu Luo, Xue Luo -> muscle channels -> main Luo channels -> The deepest: organs and Bowels, bones.

According to the affected tissue they have relationship with the organ-Bowels:

• Sinews. Liver.
• Muscles/flesh. Spleen.
• Vessels. Heart.
• Skin. Lungs.
• Bones. Kidneys.

It can evolve from the affection of the tissue to the affection of the related organ.

Internal factors

Insufficient Zheng Qi does not protect. The deficit of vital energy (Zheng Qi) may be related to:

• Weak constitution.
• Chronic illness that weakens.
• Advanced age.
• Exhaustion from overwork.
• Inadequate diet, either by insufficiency or by excess that accumulates.
• The Seven Emotions, emotions that disturb Qi.
• Pregnancy and lactation is a more vulnerable period for women.
• Side effects of medications.
• Trauma: after a trauma the vital energy does not circulate as before in this area.
• Surgery: even therapeutic, it is still a trauma.

Another internal factor to consider would be endogenous Dampness. Spleen-Qi deficiency is an internal cause of Dampness. This Dampness can obstruct the flow of energy and accumulate in joints producing pain, limitation of movement and deformation.

Classification of Bi Syndrome

According to the cause, the Bi syndromes we classify in :

• Fullness:

1. Wind Bi or wandering Bi.
2. Cold Bi or painful Bi.
3. Heat Bi.
4. Damp Bi or heavy Bi.
5. Rebellious Bi.

• Empty Bi, which can be of:

1. Qi-Blood.
2. Yin.
3. Yang.

Main symptoms

• Joint and muscular pain.
• Tingling (Ma Mu).
• Limitation of joint mobility.
• Joint deformation.

Treatments according to location

Recommended local points:

• Shoulder. LI-15, TE-14, SI-10, SI-9.
• Elbow. LI-11, TE-10, LU-5 , HT-3.
• Wrist. TE-4, TE-5, LI-5, SI-5.
• Spine. GV-3, GV-12, BL-11, Hua Tuo Jia Ji.
• Hip. GB-30, GB-29, BL-54, ST-31.
• Knee. ST-35, ST-34, GB-34, SP-10.
• Ankle. KI-6, BL-62, BL-60, GB-40.

See more in Local Treatments

See Needling Techniques for Bi Syndrome

Parallel with Western medicine

Inflammatory

Articular. Acute or chronic Arthritis. For acute pathology it is necessary to combine with Western medicine treatment because certain inflammations destroy the joint, anti-inflammatories are better. Acupuncture can help reduce the necessary dose of anti-inflammatories, even allow breaks. Arthritis can also be auto-immune. It can be bursitis, tendinitis, inflammation of ligaments, capsulitis, ankylosing spondylitis.

It can be acute, chronic, degenerative (osteoarthritis), metabolic (diabetics, gout).

In the office we receive more chronic cases.

Neuralgias

• Arnold's nerve, innervates the entire lateral side of the head, tremendous pain. Emerges from 20 GB. Nerve trapped by muscular contracture. Red eye, can hurt. Warm everything, except in case of hypertension, see context, manual stimulation.

Sciatica.

Post operative

Post-operative pain aggravated by climate. Scars that worsen with climate.

Vascular

Peripheral syndromes: Raynaud's syndrome.