Folk Remedies for Cervical Spondylosis
Cervical spondylosis is a slowly progressing degenerative bone disorder commonly affecting middle-aged and older adults. Mild cases present with pain and numbness in the head, neck, arms, hands, upper chest, and back. Severe cases may result in quadriplegia and urinary incontinence. The neck connects the head to the trunk. Blood supply to the brain and nervous system, as well as vital functions such as eating and breathing, depend on communication through the neck. Moreover, the neck serves as the pivot for head movement. Thanks to coordinated action of cervical vertebrae, the head can move forward, backward, left, right, look up, and look down. Hence, the neck is prone to injury—such as sprains or “wry neck.” Commonly used folk remedies and proven prescriptions for cervical spondylosis are listed below.
[Formula One] 10g whole scorpion, 2 centipedes, 15g each of Herba Lysimachiae, Ligusticum, Angelica, Natural Copper, and Bungarus multicinctus. Boil herbs twice, combine decoctions, drink twice daily. This formula originates from *Jiangxi Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine*, Issue 21, 1990, and is suitable for cervical spondylosis.
[Formula Two] 30g white peony, 13g papaya, 15g chicken blood vine, 10g each of Gegen and licorice. One dose daily, decocted and taken in two portions. This formula comes from *1000 Effective Prescriptions by Famous Doctors in Contemporary China* and is effective for cervical spondylosis.
[Formula Three] 20g each of Atractylodes, stir-fried white peony, and Poria, 15g Ligusticum, 10g each of Platycodon, dry ginger, magnolia bark, and licorice. Prepare as a compound decoction, 30ml each time, three times daily, one course lasting two weeks. This formula is from *Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine*, Issue 9, 1986, and is applicable to cervical spondylosis.
[Formula Four] 25g Gegen, 15g Clematis, 15g chicken blood vine, 15–30g white peony, 6g licorice, 2 crushed dried centipedes (dissolved in water) or 8g whole scorpion. One dose daily, decocted and taken orally, with adjustments based on symptoms. This formula is from *Shaanxi Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine*, Issue 8, 1987, and is suitable for cervical spondylosis.
[Formula Five] 30g white peony, 15g licorice, 10g each of sour jujube seed and oyster shell, 12g each of Clematis and Corydalis. Boil twice, combine decoctions, drink twice daily. This formula comes from *Chinese Journal of Orthopedic Traumatology*, Issue 3, 1987, and is effective for cervical spondylosis.
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