At a glance
Knee pain from a bone spur under the kneecap, cleared by strengthening the deficiency and clearing local congestion.
Presentation
A 32-year-old patient came in with pain in her right knee, caused by a bone spur sitting under the kneecap (patella). The pain flared with movement and was interfering with the active routine of someone otherwise young and healthy.
Diagnosis
The pattern combined Kidney and Spleen deficiency with significant phlegm-dampness and blood stasis. In TCM, the Kidneys govern the bones and the Spleen governs the body's handling of dampness; when both are weak, damp accumulation and stagnant blood can settle around a joint and feed a painful bone spur. Treatment had to both strengthen the deficiency and clear the local congestion.
Treatment
Treatment combined local and channel acupuncture with herbal medicine:
- He Ding — an extra point at the top of the kneecap, used for pain and swelling in the knee
- Nei Xi Yan and Wai Xi Yan (the 'knee eyes') — the paired hollows either side of the kneecap, classic local points for knee pain
- LR-7 (Xiguan) and GB-34 (Yanglingquan) — channel points that benefit the sinews and tendons around the knee and ease pain
A herbal formula was prescribed to tonify the underlying deficiency, improve digestion, expel the phlegm-dampness, and break up the blood stasis.
Result
The pain eased after each treatment, and once the full course was complete it did not return. With the deficiency strengthened and the local congestion cleared, her knee was free to move again without flaring.
This reflects an individual patient experience, not clinical trial data.
Results vary from person to person depending on the condition, its severity, and how an individual responds to treatment. TCM and acupuncture are not a substitute for care from your physician or another regulated health professional. If you’re dealing with a serious or urgent symptom, please see a doctor first.