Where back pain begins

💧 The kidney and the lower back

In TCM, the lower back is the House of the kidney.

This is where your Ming Men - the „gateway to life“ - sits. This is where your Jing - your life essence - rests. This is where your primal force resides.

If the kidney weakens, it shows up there first:

• Dull pain that comes and goes
• Stiffness in the morning that „runs in“
• Weakness in the knees
• The feeling that the back lacks „substance“
• Pain that gets worse with rest - not better

Western medicine would say: muscular, degenerative, wear and tear.

TCM says: Your foundation is calling for help.

🧠 The western bridge: Adrenal glands and back muscles

The adrenal glands are located directly on the kidneys - where the TCM “kidney area“ is also located.

The following happens with chronic stress:

• Cortisol remains permanently elevated
• The deep back muscles (psoas muscle) tense up
• The psoas is directly connected to the stress response system
• Result: Chronic tension in the lower back

The psoas is also known as the „muscle of the soul“. It reacts to each Fear, each Stress, each Exhaustion.

TCM and anatomy say the same thing: Your lower back carries more than just weight. It carries your life.

❄️ Why winter makes it worse

Cold draws together. That is physics.
Cold slows down the flow. That is TCM.

Happens in winter:

• Less movement = less blood flow
• Cold penetrates, especially in the lower back
• The kidneys are challenged anyway (winter = water element)
• Old weaknesses become visible

The pain that was „bearable“ in the summer? It comes back in January. With emphasis.

Cold shows where you are vulnerable.

🔥 The 5 pillars for a strong back

1. heat is not optional - it is medicine

The most important sentence for winter: „The lower back must NEVER get cold.“

Practical:

• Wear kidney warmers (wool, silk, or special belly bands)
• Hot water bottle on the lower back - in the evening, in the morning, always
• After showering: get dressed immediately, no cooling down
• Never sit on cold surfaces

📣 Insider tip: Hot water bottle on the lower back (Ming Men area) - 15 to 20 minutes in the evening before going to sleep. The gentle warmth penetrates deeply and nourishes the kidney fire. Even better: cherry stone pillows or spelt pillows from the oven.

2. kidney friction - 2 minutes a day

A 3,000 year old recipe:

• Rub your palms warm (30 seconds until they are hot)
• Place them on the lower back, to the left and right of the spine
• Rub vigorously up and down until heat is generated
• 2-3 minutes, morning and evening

So simple. So effective.

3. the psoas - relax the „soul muscle“

If your psoas is chronically tense, no massage in the world will help. You have to let go teach.

The „constructive resting position“:

• Lay on your back
• Knees bent, feet flat on the floor
• Arms relaxed next to the body
• Just lie down for 10-15 minutes - do NOTHING
• The psoas relaxes by itself

Daily. Non-negotiable.

🎥 In this video, you will find specific stretching and breathing exercises incorporated into a holistic Pilates workout specifically for your hip flexor - the iliopsoas muscle:👉 www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4tur6eqYI8&t=1912s

4. black food for the deep

What nourishes the kidneys strengthens the back:

• Black sesame seeds (1 tablespoon daily, ground)
• Walnuts (look like swirls - nourish swirls)
• Bone broth (anything that contains bones builds bones)
• Black beans - power soups with marrow bones

📣 Insider tip: Black rice congee - the ultimate winter breakfast for your kidneys and back.
👉 Recipe: www.meine-tcm.com/winter-congee-gegen-erschoepfung

5. exercise that does no harm

The wrong one:
Hard exercises, heavy lifting, „training the pain away“

The right thing:

• Qi Gong (especially kidney-strengthening exercises)
• Gentle yoga (cat-cow, child pose)
• Swimming in warm water
• Walks - but wrapped up warm

Rule of thumb: After the exercise you should more Have power - no less.

🎥 In this playlist you will find a carefully selected collection of Qi Gong movement routines that have been specially developed for this purpose,
to promote your health every day:
👉 www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDhUU0CDkAJkZ91aPhpFymJSl0tszGWNH

📍 Acupressure points for the back

Bl 40 (Wěi Zhōng) - „center of the back of the knee“

• Position: Exactly in the middle of the hollow of the knee
• Effect: THE classic remote point for back pain
• Application: Press gently for 60 seconds on both sides.

👇 Detailed instructions:
www.meine-tcm.com/akupunkturpunkte/akupunkturpunkt-bl-40

KG 04 (Guān Yuán) - „Gate of Origin“

• Location: 4 finger widths below the navel
• Effect: Strengthens the kidney energy and warms the lower back from the front
• Application: Heat or gentle pressure, 2-3 minutes

👇 Detailed instructions:
www.meine-tcm.com/akupunkturpunkte/akupunkturpunkt-kg-04

Ni 03 (Tài Xī) - „Great torrent“

• Location: Between the inner ankle and Achilles tendon
• Effect: Strengthens the kidneys - distant point for back pain
• Application: Massage both sides for 60 seconds

👇 Detailed instructions:
www.meine-tcm.com/akupunkturpunkte/akupunkturpunkt-ni-03

🖊️ Want to go deeper? The AkuPen

Acupressure works wonderfully with the fingers.
But if you want to work more precisely:

The AkuPen - our acupuncture pen for at home.

What you get:

• The AkuPen for pinpoint stimulation
• Access to the complete video library with over 80 acupressure points
• Every point explained in the highest video quality: Where exactly, how long, what for
• Your tool for years of self-help

👇 Learn more:
www.meine-tcm.com/produkt/akupen-der-geniale-akupunkturstift-mit-videoanleitung

⚠️ Warning signs: When to see a doctor?

Not all back pain is „just“ kidney pain:

Clarify immediately with:

• Radiation into the leg with numbness or tingling
• Bladder or bowel emptying disorders
• Pain after a fall or accident
• Fever together with back pain
• Unexplained weight loss

TCM supplements - it does not replace a diagnosis.

🌿 Trusted companions from our practice

For digestion - and therefore your back:
Few people know: A weak middle puts strain on the back. If digestion stagnates, the lower back compensates.
👉 www.meine-tcm.com/produkt/bs-ballaststoffe-plus

For those sweet moments:
When the soul seeks comfort, give it something that nourishes rather than numbs.
👉 www.meine-tcm.com/produkt/xocola

💫 The deeper message

Your back is not just bones and muscles.
It is a mirror of your life force.

If it hurts, he asks: „Are you wearing too much?“ „Are you resting enough?“ „Are you nourishing your depth?“

Winter invites you to listen.
Not to numb the pain.
But to understand what he is telling you.

Your back carries you through life.
Maybe it's time for you to wear it.

🦴 How strong is your kidney energy?

Use our free TCM analysis to find out whether kidney weakness, cold or other patterns are affecting your back:
👉 Start now: www.meine-tcm.com/tcm-analyse

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