Male 30, construction worker with an acute injury to the right knee after a recent fall at work successfully treated with 2 weeks of herbal medicine

About the Author

Dr Shu Wang

Trained in both Western and Chinese medicine, Shu Wang is a renowned clinician with over 46 years experience. He has worked in China for over 20 years and has practiced in Australia for the last 25 years. Dr Wang's preference for clinical treatment is Sun Herbal's Black Pearl range. www.SunHerbal.com

Main Signs and Symptoms

Severe pain with difficulty walking; bruising, swelling and lacerations in local area. No fracture shown on X ray.

Signs and symptoms: Pale complexion, appears exhausted

Pulse: deep-rapid

Tongue: Pale with little coat

Diagnosis and Treatment

TCM Diagnosis:

Localised Qi stagnation and Blood stasis in right knee due to soft tissue injury.

Treatment:

Treatment Principle: Localised Qi stagnation and Blood stasis in right knee due to soft tissue injury.

Bu Yang Huan Wu Wan (Astragalus & Lumbricus) for 2 weeks.

Outcome:

Over the two weeks treatment period the pain progressively reduced and then stopped. The swelling and bruising were considerably reduced and the patient was able to walk normally again. He returned to work with no residual effects from the injury.

Comments:

Pain due to local trauma arises due to stagnation of the Qi and Blood. In such cases, because the Qi controls the Blood, it is also important to strongly tonify the Qi in addition to activating the Blood and regulating the Qi. Thus Bu Yang Huan Wu Wan (Astragalus & Lumbricus) is an ideal formula, as it contains a large dose of Huang Qi (Astragalus root), which tonifies the Qi, as well as herbs from the formula Tao Hong Si Wu Tang (Persica, Carthamus & Dang-gui Combination), which nourishes and activates the Blood to dispel stasis and unblock the Channels-Collaterals. This formula may be used also to assist recovery after surgery as well as for a variety of traumatic injuries, which are characterised by redness, swelling, pain and decreased function.

Depending on the severity and extent of the injury, the course of treatment may be adjusted accordingly, e.g. for bone fracture, the treatment course should be around 3 months (100 days according to TCM classics).