腰痛属足少阴经，湿热痰淤虚作成，脉大为虚缓为湿，涩为瘀血最分明。脉来滑伏痛为
祟，面有红星死者刑。天阴而痛为湿热，苍白茯陈甘草列，柴胡枳壳炒山栀，青皮茴香木通
设。日轻夜重瘀血痰，芎归芍地桃甘陈，红花官桂苏防木，玄胡丹参古有名。肾经虚者长长
痛。知母茴归与杜仲，快将参术补骨脂，五味黄柏熟地用。
立安散
治气滞并闪挫及肾虚腰痛。
当归 杜仲（姜炒） 官桂 玄胡索（炒） 黑丑（半生半熟） 小茴香（炒）各一两 木
香五钱为细末，每服二匙，空心黄酒调下。
加味青蛾丸
治肾虚腰痛或风寒血气搏痛。
杜仲（姜汁浸炒） 破故纸（水淘净，同芝麻炒变色，去麻，瓦上焙干）各十二两 胡
桃肉（去皮研）加沉香 没药乳香各六两为末，用肉苁蓉十二两，酒浸成膏，和药杵千，丸
如梧子，空心温酒或盐汤下三十丸。
五积散（方见中寒） 因寒加茱萸五分，因风加防风、全蝎，因闪挫加桃仁、黑丑。渗
湿汤（治湿痛，方见伤湿）当归拈痛汤（治湿热，方见香港脚）
余论
腰为肾之外候，一身所恃，以转移者也。其所感虽不同，大约肾虚而后痛，客病既除，
即以补肾为要。
治胁下疼痛神效 小茴香（炒）一两，枳壳（麸炒）五钱。共为末，每服二钱，盐汤调
服。治腰痛或时闪腰 杜仲、胡桃仁、破故纸。三味酒煎服，立效。
又方
用橙子核，炒干为细末，三钱，以白酒调服，即愈。
又方
用西瓜青，为片，阴干为末，以盐酒空心调服，立效。
腰痛立安散 杜仲（去皮炒断丝）、橘核（炒取仁），二味各等分，为末，每服二钱，入
盐少许
Lumbago (low back pain) belongs to the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian. Its etiology is formed by damp-heat, phlegm, blood stasis, and deficiency. A large pulse indicates deficiency; a slow/relaxed pulse indicates dampness; a choppy pulse most clearly indicates blood stasis. A slippery and hidden pulse with severe pain suggests pathogenic factors acting as a calamity; red star-like spots on the face indicate a fatal prognosis or execution-level severity. Pain worsening during cloudy weather indicates damp-heat; treatment involves Cang Zhu (Atractylodis Rhizoma), Fu Ling (Poria), Chen Pi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium), and Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), combined with Chai Hu (Bupleuri Radix), Zhi Ke (Aurantii Fructus), Chao Shan Zhi (Gardeniae Fructus), Qing Pi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride), Xiao Hui Xiang (Foeniculi Fructus), and Mu Tong (Akebiae Caulis). Pain that is mild during the day and heavy at night indicates blood stasis and phlegm; treatment involves Xiong Gui (Chuanxiong Rhizoma), Dang Gui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), Bai Shao (Paeoniae Radix Alba), Di Huang (Rehmanniae Radix), Tao Ren (Persicae Semen), Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), and Chen Pi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium), combined with Hong Hua (Carthami Flos), Guan Gui (Cinnamomi Ramulus), Zi Su (Perillae Folium), Fang Feng (Saposhnikoviae Radix), Mu Xiang (Aucklandiae Radix), Xuan Hu (Corydalis Rhizoma), and Dan Shen (Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix); these herbs are famous in ancient texts. Deficiency of the Kidney Meridian causing lumbago presents as chronic, long-lasting pain. Treatment uses Zhi Mu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma), Xiao Hui Xiang (Foeniculi Fructus), Dang Gui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), and Du Zhong (Eucommiae Cortex), quickly adding Ren Shen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma), Bai Zhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), Bu Gu Zhi (Psoraleae Fructus), Wu Wei Zi (Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus), Huang Bo (Phellodendri Cortex), and Shu Di Huang (Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata).
Li An San (Stability Pill)
Treats Qi stagnation, sprain/contusion, and kidney-deficiency-induced lumbago.
Ingredients: Dang Gui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), Du Zhong (Eucommiae Cortex stir-fried with ginger juice), Guan Gui (Cinnamomi Ramulus), Xuan Hu Suo (Corydalis Rhizoma stir-fried), Hei Chou (Pharbitidis Semen half raw half cooked), Xiao Hui Xiang (Foeniculi Fructus stir-fried) each 1 liang; Mu Xiang (Aucklandiae Radix) 5 qian. Grind into fine powder. Take 2 spoons per dose, mixed with yellow wine on an empty stomach.
Jia Wei Qing E Wan (Modified Green-Elephant Pill)
Treats kidney-deficiency lumbago or pain caused by the struggle between wind-cold and qi-blood.
Ingredients: Du Zhong (Eucommiae Cortex soaked in ginger juice and stir-fried) and Po Gu Zhi (Psoraleae Fructus washed clean, stir-fried with sesame until color changes, sesame removed, dried on tile) each 12 liang; Hu Tao Rou (Walnut Kernel peeled and ground), plus Chen Xiang (Aquilariae Lignum Resinatum), Mo Yao (Myrrha), and Ru Xiang (Olibanum) each 6 liang. Grind all into powder. Use Rou Cong Rong (Cynomorii Herba) 12 liang, soaked in wine and boiled into a paste, mix with the powder and pound for a thousand times. Form pills the size of wu zi (Chinese quince seeds). Take 30 pills on an empty stomach with warm wine or salt water.
Wu Ji San (Five Accumulations Powder) (Formula see "Zhong Han"). Add Zhu Yu (Evodiae Fructus) 5 fen if due to cold; add Fang Feng (Saposhnikoviae Radix) and Quan Xie (Scorpio) if due to wind; add Tao Ren (Persicae Semen) and Hei Chou (Pharbitidis Semen) if due to sprain/contusion.
Shen Shi Tang (Dampness Permeating Decoction) (Treats damp-pain, Formula see "Shang Shi").
Dang Gui Nian Tong Tang (Angelica Nian-Tong Decoction) (Treats damp-heat, Formula see "Xiang Gang Jiao" / Hong Kong Foot).
Additional Remarks
The waist is the external manifestation of the Kidneys and is relied upon by the whole body for movement and transformation. Although the contracted pathogens differ, generally, deficiency of the Kidney precedes the pain. Once the exogenous pathogens are eliminated, tonifying the Kidney is essential.
Divine Effect Formula for Hypochondriac Pain
Xiao Hui Xiang (Foeniculi Fructus stir-fried) 1 liang, Zhi Ke (Aurantii Fructus bran-stir-fried) 5 qian. Grind together into powder. Take 2 qian per dose, mixed with salt water.
Formula for Lumbago or Occasional Sprained Waist
Du Zhong (Eucommiae Cortex), Hu Tao Ren (Walnut Kernel), Po Gu Zhi (Psoraleae Fructus). Decoct these three ingredients in wine for administration; immediate effect.
Another Formula
Use Cheng Zi He (Citrus Seed), dry-roasted and ground into fine powder. Take 3 qian, mixed with white wine. Cure follows.
Another Formula
Use Xi Gua Qing (Exocarp of Citrullus Lanatus), slice it, dry in shade, and grind into powder. Take on an empty stomach mixed with salt wine; immediate effect.
Yao Tong Li An San (Lumbago Stability Pill)
Du Zhong (Eucommiae Cortex peeled and stir-fried until silk threads break), Ju He (Mandarin Orange Seed stir-fried to extract kernel). Equal parts of these two ingredients, ground into powder. Take 2 qian per dose, with a small amount of salt.