Today, let's focus on cervical spondylosis. This disease can be said to affect people of all ages! I don't know how many patients with this condition I receive in the outpatient clinic every day.
When asking about the medical history and causes, most of them are due to looking at mobile phones for a long time, keeping the head down to write and use the computer for a long time, driving for an extended period, and so on. Is this really the culprit of cervical spondylosis?
Why is it that primary school students have so much homework and keep their heads down writing and studying every day, yet none of them get cervical spondylosis? The reason is that children have sufficient kidney essence. No matter how much they use the computer, play with an iPad, or lack exercise, their cervical vertebrae remain in good condition. After studying, they just need to stretch their muscles and bones a bit, and they'll be full of energy!
The kidney stores essence. You can think of this essence as lubricating oil. When your neck is sore and painful, squeeze the "lubricating oil" and turn your neck left and right, and it will feel better! When there is little or no lubricating oil, when you turn your neck, it will make cracking sounds! Over time, it compresses the spinal nerve ganglia, and your fingers will go numb! If it compresses the jugular vein, you'll feel dizzy and lightheaded.
Therefore, the number of people suffering from cervical spondylosis is increasing, and there is a trend of it affecting younger individuals. External reasons include excessive computer use, prolonged inactivity, mental stress, and so on. The internal problem, however, is the depletion of kidney essence!
For a person with a deficiency of kidney essence, no matter how much they stretch their muscles and bones, do yoga, or have massages... They may feel comfortable for a while after using these various methods, but the next day, the stiffness and pain will still be there.
In clinical practice, I once encountered a patient who came to the hospital supporting one arm with the other, tilting his head, and moaning in pain. When asked, he said he woke up like this in the morning and thought he might have a stiff neck. So I conducted a palpation. The bladder meridian on the left side of the back of his neck was stiff, the muscles around the scapula were painful, and there was a pulling pain in the back. He couldn't turn his head to the left. It really seemed like a stiff neck. After half an hour of massage, there was partial relief. Then I took his pulse and learned about his medical history. I found that this patient had obvious kidney essence depletion. He had just been married for less than half a year and had a history of several years of masturbation. His pulse clearly indicated kidney deficiency, and his neck had been uncomfortable for over two months. He came to see a doctor only because of this sudden stiff neck. Later, this patient achieved obvious therapeutic effects through acupuncture, external application of medicine, and abstinence from sexual activities for a month. If he wants to be completely cured and prevent recurrence, he needs to take good care of his kidney essence.
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that kidney essence is connected to the brain. The composition of cerebrospinal fluid is very similar to that of semen. Cerebrospinal fluid is the lubricating oil that lubricates and nourishes the central nervous system, such as the brain and spinal cord, inside the spine. Its deficiency can lead to the brain and central nervous system not functioning sensitively and various discomforts in the cervical vertebrae. After ejaculating semen, the mind becomes less sharp, memory deteriorates, and thinking ability weakens. In fact, this is the reason. This is the principle described in traditional Chinese medicine that "the kidney governs the bones and generates the marrow, and the brain is the sea of marrow"!
People who ejaculate semen frequently are very likely to develop cervical spondylosis. Their necks will feel very stiff, and it will be painful when they turn their heads. The reason is that the kidney essence in the spine is insufficient, leading to the depletion of bone marrow. Without proper nourishment, the bones will become hard, deformed, or even develop bone hyperplasia. According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, this is a problem of bone marrow overflowing, and the root cause is that the kidney fails to store essence.
Let me tell you about another patient in clinical practice. His cervical spondylosis recurred repeatedly. He had visited many doctors for acupuncture, massage, and tuina. He might feel comfortable at the moment, but the effect was often minimal. The pulse at the chi position of both his pulses was extremely deep, which was a typical sign of kidney essence deficiency.
I explained a principle to him. The human spine is like the water pipeline in a building. In one case, when there is plenty of water in the pipeline and a certain part of the pipeline is blocked by garbage or debris, I can clear out the blockage, and the water flow will naturally become unobstructed.
In the other case, the disease is caused by insufficient water in the pipeline. No matter how much you dredge the pipeline, since there is a lack of water, the pipeline won't discharge water. No matter how much more you dredge it, it's useless. This kind of disease requires nourishment and should be treated with traditional Chinese medicine combined with dietary adjustments. However, this patient belongs to the latter case. We need to replenish the "water" first before considering other treatments.
Therefore, when the kidney essence is sufficient, the occurrence of bone diseases will be reduced, and the bones will be very hard, making it difficult to develop osteoporosis. So osteoporosis has little to do with whether you drink milk or take calcium tablets, but it has a close relationship with kidney qi.
Western medicine treats cervical spondylosis as follows: For mild cases, physical therapy is used, such as stretching (hanging the neck). If the pain is severe, nerve block injections are given. If there are symptoms like dizziness, nausea, and vomiting, a small needle knife is required. Through minimally invasive treatment to relieve the compression, the therapeutic effect is indeed immediate! It is also widely popular among the general public.
In treating cervical spondylosis, both traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine have their own advantages and disadvantages. Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes harmonization, while Western medicine focuses on elimination. The basic concepts of these two medical systems are different, and the final outcomes also vary greatly.
That's all for today. I'd like to remind friends with cervical spondylosis not to treat it blindly. This disease is also a chronic condition, especially for those with a straightened or even reversed cervical spine, as well as those with nausea and vomiting! Don't expect to be cured all at once. With such an attitude, you won't be able to get better. First, figure out what type of cervical spondylosis you have, then find a good doctor and a suitable treatment method for yourself. Don't seek medical help in a rush when you're anxious about your illness!
