Joint numbness and pain in winter, is it due to "old cold legs"? Drink this tea to get rid of dampness and cold, and do this Ba Duan Jin to build muscle

As winter temperatures drop and it rains occasionally, many people can't help but groan as they touch their sore and numb knees, thighs and calves. Under the influence of cold and damp, the so-called "old cold legs" also come along! How to avoid cold legs? How to relieve the discomfort? Chinese medicine practitioners say that it is necessary to take a two-pronged approach of resisting cold and dampness and exercising more to strengthen muscles. In addition to drinking a moderate amount of longan and ginger tea and massaging acupoints, you may also want to do the Eight-Section Brocade movements to get rid of the problem of old cold legs.

Dampness and coldness occur at the same time, causing joint pain

The temperature has dropped sharply recently, and it is humid on rainy days, so the cold air can invade the joints more easily than usual. Chinese medicine says that "cold causes pain and contraction", and pain will occur when the cold air invades the muscles and joints; "Dampness is heavy and tends to go downwards", so it is more likely to appear in the muscles and joints of the lower limbs, especially when dampness and cold occur at the same time, which can make the painful symptoms more severe, just as the "Yellow Emperor's Internal Classic" said, "Wind, cold and dampness are mixed together and become numbness". If the lower limbs are obviously degenerated, or the muscles and bones are weak, or the blood circulation is poor, this symptom will be more likely to occur.

Wu Jiandong, attending physician of the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine at the Linsen Branch of Taipei Municipal United Hospital, said that the elderly are more likely to experience symptoms of sore and numb joints, known as "old cold legs." Women who suffer from insufficient Qi and blood after childbirth are also prone to this problem. For example, a young woman who had given birth more than a month ago came to see a doctor. She was fine a while ago, but two days ago when the temperature dropped, her thighs and calves began to ache. This proves the principle that "where evil gathers, the Qi will be weak." Similarly, if young people have insufficient Qi and blood and poor circulation, they will be easily affected by cold and dampness and suffer from muscle and joint pain. In addition, these symptoms will be more likely to occur if you need to work in a cold and humid place for a long time, or often ride a bike in the rain, or if you are a woman who loves beauty, diets to lose weight, does not exercise, and likes to wear less.

Get rid of joint and leg numbness and pain by drinking "longan ginger tea" to resist cold and dampness

How should you treat numbness and pain in your joints and legs? Chinese medicine practitioner Wu Jiandong suggested that the most important thing is to eliminate external factors, that is, to stay warm by avoiding cold and dampness. For example, try to avoid taking cold showers, wear long pants and socks to sleep, ride a bike to avoid hands and feet being exposed to wind and rain, and soak in warm water at night. Secondly, you should enhance your own blood circulation to resist cold and dampness, exercise more to strengthen your muscles, and take a moderate amount of "longan ginger tea" to eliminate cold and dampness in the body.

In addition, you can also press the acupoints for conditioning, for example: the "Futu" point on the thigh and the "Zusanli" point on the calf, you can consider using them. However, if you have used all of these methods and joint pain in your hands and feet still occurs frequently, it is recommended that you consult a doctor as soon as possible to reduce the chance of joint degeneration as you age.

To get rid of old cold legs, you need to increase muscle strength and do Ba Duan Jin health-preserving exercises

In addition to drinking tea and massaging acupoints, Chinese medicine also recommends increasing muscle strength to get rid of old cold legs. A healthy diet plus proper exercise are the basics for increasing muscle strength. Chinese medicine believes that "the spleen governs the limbs", so by regulating the spleen and stomach qi, and adding prescriptions that promote qi and blood circulation, the muscles can get adequate nutrients and achieve twice the result with half the effort. If you want to combine the Eight-Section Brocade health-preserving exercise with the exercise, Chinese medicine practitioner Wu Jiandong strongly recommends the seventh move: glaring and clenching fists to increase your energy.

[Glaring eyes and fists increase strength]:

◎Preparatory posture: Horse riding stance, with both hands clenched into fists and placed at the sides of the waist, palms facing up.

1. Make fists with both hands and place them at the sides of your waist. Turn the right fist from top to bottom and push it forward, then bring it back to the sides of your waist, with your eyes staring straight ahead.

2. Return to the preparatory position.

3. Turn the left fist from top to bottom and push it forward, then retract it to the side of the waist, with both eyes looking straight ahead with anger.

◎Key points of the action: Once you become proficient in it, you can use your waist to drive your punches, starting from your feet, then your legs, and finally your waist, with consistent force.

The seventh move of the Eight-Section Brocade health-preserving exercise: glare and clench fists to increase energy and strength. (Photo provided by Dr. Wu Jiandong)