Channel-Soothing Decoction

Pattern-based

• Qi and Blood congealed in the channels
• Arm pain with inability to raise the arm
• Long-standing pain unresponsive to needling

Biomedical correlates

• Frozen shoulder
• Rotator cuff syndrome
• Chronic brachialgia

Donguibogam 東醫寶鑑

治氣血凝滯于經絡, 臂痛不擧. 薑黃 二錢, 當歸ㆍ海東皮ㆍ白朮ㆍ赤芍藥 各一錢, 羌活ㆍ甘草 各五分. 右剉, 作一貼, 薑 三片同煎, 入沈香磨汁少許服之. 《正傳》 ○一名通氣飮子. 有人常患左臂痛不能擧, 或以爲風, 以爲痰, 以爲濕, 諸藥鍼灸皆不效, 得此方而愈. 盖氣血凝滯, 經絡不行所致. 《澹寮》

Translation

Treats Qi and Blood congealed and stagnant in the channels and network vessels, with arm pain and inability to raise the arm. Turmeric 2 don; Korean angelica, castor aralia bark, white atractylodes, and red peony 1 don each; notopterygium and licorice 0.5 don each. Cut the above, make one packet, decoct together with 3 slices of ginger, and take with a little agarwood ground to juice. — Jeongjeon 正傳. Also called Tonggi-eumja (Qi-Freeing Beverage). There was a man who constantly suffered pain in the left arm and could not raise it. Some called it wind, some phlegm, some dampness; no medicine or acupuncture had any effect, and he was cured only on obtaining this formula. It was caused by Qi and Blood congealing and stagnating so that the channels did not move. — Damryo 澹寮