Wind...

Refrain from sleeping under constant wind!

When clients come to me after waking up with a stiff neck; my first question is, "did you happen to sleep under a fan or with the AC on or by an open window?" Most often then not, the answer is "yes."

This simple, unconscious mistake, initially giving you much needed relief from a hot humid night, can result in extremely dire consequences. One being that of a stiff and painfull to move neck in the morning. Whether or not the air is cold is not as important (cold ultimately being worse) but It is the constant assault on your nervous system from the relentless stream of wind that will cause your proprioceptors (sense of touch, temperature, space, pressure, perception of self) on the surface of the skin to "freak out" and react by contracting the muscles that are being affected. You wake up thinking you've moved the wrong way to cause a strain in your back or neck but because the muscles have essential stiffened over a night of constant wind, any way you move, in fact, just waking up, could trigger a painfull spasm.

If you happen to be one fo the unlucky one's that forgets to program the AC to go off in an hour or two or you didn't remember to position the fan away so it's not blowing directly on your body all night or you just fell asleep in front of the window on a cool breezy night..

Upon waking with a stiff neck, you're going to want to gradually warm up the area and the muscles that have stiffened. Cover up with warmed clothing - a warmed scarf or heated towell. You could also try getting into a steam shower but gradually move into warmer temps as apposed to jumping under the hot shower water or tub, first thing. Have a nice hot cup of decafinated/herbal (no sugar, better if prepared with the warming herbs) tea if you can.
If your one who's bed is by a window, open the top just a bit and leave the bottom closed.)


Some herbs that are considered warming:

• Betony – Excellent for cold conditions of the head and neck, also for stimulating digestion and relaxing tension headaches.
(A few leaves infused as a tea drank twice a day is considered useful for catarrhal headaches, sinusitis, and muzzy-headedness)

• Garlic – This warming herb is good for the circulatory system and blood pressure. It is a natural antibiotic worth taking at the start of any infection.
(A whole clove chewed daily or garlic pills can be taken. Parsley is worth chewing afterwards to counteract the odour)

• Horseradish – This warming herb has powerful antiseptic effects, it is used as a remedy to stimulate the appetite, expel worms and parasites and relieve urinary tract infections.
(One or two roots grated down and taken daily in several divided doses before meals. Eating bread at the same time will reduce the heat in the mouth)

• Hyssop – A warming herb for the expectoration of awkward respiratory catarrh.
(An infusion of the flowers as a herbal tea 2-3 times a day is recommended

• Mustard – This warming herb can clear catarrh and bronchitis. It also has antiseptic properties.
(A weak infusion sipped sparingly throughout the day will clear respiratory catarrh. Too much however can cause nausea)
• Nettle – This is a warming herb that is superb for arthritic and rheumatic problems.
(An infusion taken as a herbal tea twice a day is a useful treatment for arthritis and rheumatism. It is also a useful hair stimulant and tonic.)
• Peppermint – Good for relieving blocked headaches, stimulating the stomach and easing the pain of congested varicose veins. It also eases the spasm of irritable bowel syndrome, especially when one is in the constipated phase.
(An infusion taken as a herbal tea is a simple way of taking this herb)

• Sage - This is a warming herb with many useful effects. Like hyssop it is a very powerful diaphoretic. It is an antiseptic and has some analgesic effects. It is excellent for the pain of a sore throat and it helps to expectorate catarrh.
(Gargling with an infusion of the leaves eases sore throats and hastens the passage of catarrh. A sage bath is also an excellent remedy for aching muscles and joints, and congestion headaches can be eased by a cup of sage tea)


This constant wind is also extremely detrimental to the delicate tissue lining our nasal passages. It can injure and cause serious damage. (sinus infection, alergies, cold, ect). As in most cases; Rentless wind over the course of the night is especially cause for concern to the very young, elderly and those with an already comprimised immune system.

If your stiffness dosen't go away in a few hours to a day, you may want to consider seeing a good L.M.T (Licensed Massage Therapist), with great cervical spine skills, to go a bit deeper and help you release any additional contracted muscle tissue and holding patterns.

 

Wind in Eastern Philosophy; TMC (Traditional Chinese Medicine)

The pernicious influence of wind is considered the major cause of illness in traditional Chinese patterns of disharmony. It combines readily with other pathogens, giving rise to syndromes known as wind cold, wind heat, and wind dampness. This pathogenic factor possesses the qualities of wind in nature, appearing without warning and constantly changing. Considered a yang form of evil qi (a pathogenic factor), it often attacks the upper body, head, throat, and eyes. Wind causes movement, so it is usually involved when there are symptoms of twitching, spasms, or shaking. The organ most often affected by external wind is thelung; internal wind most commonly is related to an imbalance in the liver.

Wind Cold: In this syndrome, the pernicious influence of wind combines with that of cold. The person experiences symptoms of chills, fever (which is less severe than the chills), no sweating, headache, nasal congestion, and stiffness and pain in the shoulders, upper back, neck, and occipital area (back of the head). Cold causes objects to contract, and its effects in the body are no different. It causes chills, and the shivering causes the muscles to become tight and stiff. Although actual shivering may not occur, the person has difficulty staying warm, even when dressed properly for the conditions. Wind cold is traditionally treated with warm, diaphoretic (sweat-inducing) herbs to disperse the cold and repel the wind.

 

 

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