Myofascial Pain Syndrome - Liver-Kidney Deficiency Pattern

Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Myofascial Pain Syndrome · Liver-Kidney Deficiency Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 7 min

Body Area: Whole Body

Pattern Overview

Liver-Kidney Deficiency is a chronic degenerative pattern in myofascial pain syndrome, characterized by degenerative myopathy, chronic ache, weakness, and aggravation with overwork. The core pathogenesis is insufficient nourishment of the muscles by Liver Blood and Kidney Essence, leading to progressive muscle weakness and pain.

Key Symptoms and Differentiation Points

| Differentiation Dimension | Manifestations |

| :— | :— |

| Primary Symptoms | Chronic aching muscle pain, weakness, worse with overwork |

| Associated Symptoms | Soreness in the lower back and knees, dizziness, fatigue |

| Tongue and Pulse | Pale red tongue with little coating, thready and weak pulse |

| Pathogenesis | Liver-Kidney deficiency failing to nourish the muscles |

| Etiology | Aging, chronic overuse, constitutional weakness |

Acupuncture Point Prescription

| Point | Location | Function |

| :— | :— | :— |

| BL23 Shenshu | Lower back, 1.5 cun lateral to L2 | Tonifies Kidney Qi and Essence |

| KI3 Taixi | Depression between medial malleolus and Achilles tendon | Source point of Kidney meridian; nourishes Kidney Yin |

| GB34 Yanglingquan | Depression below the head of the fibula | Master point for tendons; strengthens muscles |

| BL18 Ganshu | Lower back, 1.5 cun lateral to T9 | Back-Shu point of Liver meridian; nourishes Liver Blood |

Clinical Recommendation: Filiform needle, reinforcing method; moxibustion may be applied to Shenshu and Ganshu to warm and tonify.

Herbal Formula

Base Formula: Zuo Gui Wan (左归丸)

Composition:

Rehmannia (Shu Di), Dioscorea (Shan Yao), Cornus (Shan Zhu Yu), Goji Berry (Gou Qi), Cuscuta (Tu Si Zi), Deer Antler Glue (Lu Jiao), Tortoise Shell Glue (Gui Ban), Achyranthes (Niu Xi)

Action: Tonifies Kidney Yin, nourishes Liver Blood, strengthens muscles and tendons.

Modifications

| Associated Symptoms | Additions/Subtractions |

| :— | :— |

| Severe muscle weakness | Add Huang Qi, Dang Shen to supplement Qi |

| Fatigue | Add Du Zhong, Xu Duan to strengthen the lower back |

| Cold intolerance | Add Rou Gui, Fu Zi to warm Yang |

Western Mechanism Reference

Degenerative myopathy with reduced muscle strength, impaired tissue repair, and age-related degeneration. Liver-Kidney Deficiency corresponds to myofascial pain syndrome in older patients, where age-related muscle degeneration and reduced tissue repair capacity contribute to chronic pain.

References

  1. Textbook Standard.

  2. WHO. (2023). Musculoskeletal pain. World Health Organization.

Explore More

  • Find your solution at MendGod.com – Personalized herbal protocols and acupressure tools for muscle pain relief.

  • Deepen your knowledge at TcmCIO.com – Full research papers and clinical case studies on TCM myofascial pain management.