8 Brocades and Burning sensations

[Papayapple]

So I just tried doing some qigong from this video

and while doing forms 2 and 3 I experienced strong and not very pleasant burning sensations in my wrists and the bases of my palms, and also an "overstretching" kind of pain in my elbows.
I suffer from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome so that's probably where it's coming from.

So I wonder, if this practice is at all suitable for me or not. Does anybody have any suggestions please?

I've been doing lot's of cts stretches and exercises for the last 2 years but it seems it just doesn't want to go away for good.

 

Thanks,

P.

Edited August 4, 2016 by Papayapple

[Zhongyongdaoist]

So I just tried doing some qigong from this video

and while doing forms 2 and 3 I experienced strong and not very pleasant burning sensations in my wrists and the bases of my palms, and also an "overstretching" kind of pain in my elbows.

I suffer from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome so that's probably where it's coming from.

So I wonder, if this practice is at all suitable for me or not. Does anybody have any suggestions please?

I've been doing lot's of cts stretches and exercises for the last 2 years but it seems it just doesn't want to go away for good.

 

Thanks,

P.

 

The Eight Pieces is a classic qigong form and of itself should not cause you problems, however, since you have Carpal Tunnel you may be experiencing some of the pathogenic heat coming to the surface to disperse, this would be part of a healing process, and so just based on what I know from what you have said here, you should probably continue with it and your Carpal Tunnel may clear up.

 

It is useful to know the meridians and acupuncture points, as these may help you to control and and alleviate the heat symptoms you are describing and clear the condition up.  Years ago I had pathogenic fire exit from one of the small intestine points on my upper forearm, it felt like a jet of flame several inches long was shooting out from the point and my skin at the point and for several inches down my forearm discolored for "no apparent reason", this lasted for two or three weeks then stopped.

 

ZYD

[Papayapple]

The Eight Pieces is a classic qigong form and of itself should not cause you problems, however, since you have Carpal Tunnel you may be experiencing some of the pathogenic heat coming to the surface to disperse, this would be part of a healing process, and so just based on what I know from what you have said here, you should probably continue with it and your Carpal Tunnel may clear up.

 

It is useful to know the meridians and acupuncture points, as these may help you to control and and alleviate the heat symptoms you are describing and clear the condition up.  Years ago I had pathogenic fire exit from one of the small intestine points on my upper forearm, it felt like a jet of flame several inches long was shooting out from the point and my skin at the point and for several inches down my forearm discolored for "no apparent reason", this lasted for two or three weeks then stopped.

 

ZYD

I'm so glad that you replied Donald.

Well that gives me a lot of hope. As intense as the exercise felt too me, it didn't actually cause fatigue or any lasting pain in the wrists, so I might follow your suggestion.

 

And related to acupuncture and meridians: should I start applying something like this?

And by controlling and alleviating the heat do you mean I should do it right after the Baudanjin?

Where can I learn more about this peculiar sensations?

At first I had a thought it could have been an overflow of chi or something, because I feel it in the same place as when I do some "holding the ball" type of exercises, which cause tingling sensations.

[Zhongyongdaoist]

Consider it an optimistic appraisal based on insufficient information, but I prefer to encourage people to continue with a practice rather than stop, unless I have a very good reason.  I don't have time to watch your linked video, so I am basing my opinion on my own experiences with exercises of the same name beginning forty+ years ago.  Maybe there is something odd about this version which makes it harmful, but something like this is pretty standardized, and there shouldn't be harmful versions out there.

 

As for the video you reference about the Carpal Tunnel acupressure/massage, well I don't have time to look at that either, but unless it is done by people who know nothing, then something like that should be beneficial too.

 

Coming back here for your reply, I noticed that you were located in Northern Eu, which I assume is short for Northern Europe, if so then your Carpal Tunnel condition could be cold induced, in which case the heat you are feeling is probably not pathogenic, but rather your bodies Weiqi, defensive qi, becoming active to expel pathogenic cold.  This is, of course, being positive about it again.  So the question is, "Does heat help relieve your Carpal Tunnel symptoms?"  If so then you probably have cold induced Carpal Tunnel and things that warm your hands, wrists and forearms are likely to be good for this process also, though applying them before you begin would be called for.  I don't want to say that most Western anti-inflammatory drugs will not be good for this, but, ooops, it slipped out anyway.  This is because they are "cold inducing" which works wonders for heat excess inflammation, but only makes the Weiqi more determined to push the cold out, which in turn makes the inflammation worse.  I probably shouldn't compound the problem by saying that, since the Chinese discovered the principles of Cold Induced disorders almost 2,000 years ago they have some great herbal preparations for dealing with them, but what harm can it do, since everyone here at the Dao Bums avoids using Chinese herbs, just like their Western trained doctor would want them to.

 

Remember all of the above is general comments based on insufficient information, so you pay attention to it at your own risk.

 

By the way, I love your little feline avatar.

 

ZYD

[dwai]

So I just tried doing some qigong from this video

and while doing forms 2 and 3 I experienced strong and not very pleasant burning sensations in my wrists and the bases of my palms, and also an "overstretching" kind of pain in my elbows.

I suffer from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome so that's probably where it's coming from.

So I wonder, if this practice is at all suitable for me or not. Does anybody have any suggestions please?

I've been doing lot's of cts stretches and exercises for the last 2 years but it seems it just doesn't want to go away for good.

 

Thanks,

P.

I find BK Frantzis' 70% rule very pertinent. Never go beyond 70% of your max capacity. Strength, stamina, range of motion etc. As you relax more, you will naturally raise the ceiling on your limits.

[Papayapple]

[Aeran]

I used to get a powerful burning sensation in my legs while practicing, it was only when I figured out that my hips were wildly out of alignment and began to loosen and straighten them that it alleviated. Just a guess, but it sounds like you've possibly got some tightness in the elbows which is causing issues further down the arm. I don't know enough TCM to speculate on the nature of those issues, but working to gently open up the elbow might help you out.

[dwai]

[Wells]

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Edited August 8, 2016 by spacester

[Papayapple]

What are you asking for? A simple way to heal your carpal tunnel syndrome efficiently and longterm?

Well yes, excactly that. I should have pointed out Im still lost about it.

 

Will Taiji classes help?

Edited August 7, 2016 by Papayapple

[Papayapple]

Why? What's the point of putting 100% in? Do you think you won't get 100% of what you deserve if you don't put in 100%?

 

In life really less is more. Most people don't know that. The key to success is to be more efficient and use as little effort as possible to achieve maximum benefit.

Do you also apply this rule to recreation and things you do for fun? Thats my problem. Is going 100% an overindgulgance?

 

Besides, how do you go about todays working demands? Competition and bosses who want you to go even beyond what your capable of?

[Wells]

.

Edited August 8, 2016 by spacester

[Papayapple]

I tell you the exercise I designed to cure efficiently the carpal tunnel syndrome of my mother

who already wanted to get surgery because of the pain:

 

Take a towel, fold it two times, then roll it up.

Then grab that towel with both hands and twist it repeatedly more and more

as if you wanted to wring out every last drop of water out of a wet towel.

When the towel is twisted so much that you are inable to twist it even more because the resistence of the warped towel becomes greater than your strength, then hold that position with all your strength for 20 - 30 seconds, constantly trying to twist the towel even more.

Then, repeat the exercise by twisting the towel in the other direction.

If you have a digital watch, use the countdown (set at 30 - 35 seconds) and start it at the beginning of the exercise,

so the final maximal isometric contraction lasts 20 - 25 seconds.

In the initial phase of the training (week 1 - 3) set the countdown to 30 seconds, so the final isometric contraction lasts around 20 seconds.

Do that exercise (one time in one direction plus one time in the other direction) once in the evening immedeately before lying down to sleep, so your tendons get plenty of rest for recovery after that for several hours during the night's sleep.

Don't ever do that exercise at the beginning of the day or worse, before heavy work!

Don't ever do that exercise several times in a row, just once in one direction and once in the other direction!

Don't ever increase the isometric contraction phase over 25 seconds.

Probably you will be symptome free already after one week of training, but for a longterm effect train at least one month.

Please report back in this thread if the exercise worked for you.

Very interesting. Sounds like something that might work.

Ceirtainly I will write about the results in few weeks.

Thank you for sharing.

[Wells]

.

Edited August 8, 2016 by spacester

[dwai]

Do you also apply this rule to recreation and things you do for fun? Thats my problem. Is going 100% an overindgulgance?

 

Besides, how do you go about todays working demands? Competition and bosses who want you to go even beyond what your capable of?

Yes I try to apply this rule to everything.

 

Work is an interesting learning opportunity. I realized long ago that usually my 50% is like the 100% of most people. Also remember that our 100% is not a fixed thing. It will grow higher with time and practice.

 

In any case, yes it can be detrimental to career growth. But it is also the case that i tend to "need" career growth less as my practice matures. If I get what is needed to live a comfortable life and provide for my family, I'm okay with it.

[Papayapple]

.

So it has taken me a while longer to make myself finally write back on the issue as you asked. But here I Go!

 

Like you said, after a week of doing exactly what you said I was almost symptom free(I never exceeded 25 secs of contraction though). I continued doing it for 5 weeks until now. About 3 weeks ago I could still feel it from time to time while working at the computer, which I'm doing now for unbelievable 8hrs a day. Right now it's like 95% gone, so I will continue, but man, that thing really did it!

 

And I really cannot believe it was soo freaking effective. This exercise has been a godsend for me. Thank you thank you THANK YOU SPACESTER!!!

 

ps. I should add: I tried countless other things; hot/cold water, stretches of all kind, massages of all kind, herbal remedies, stripes, physiotherapy, lasers, ultrasounds, accupuncture, steroids(!!!), relaxants, water fasting... Sick! Nothing worked nearly as effectively as that!

 

Edited October 1, 2016 by Papayapple

[Aetherous]

That's awesome!!!

[Wells]

So it has taken me a while longer to make myself finally write back on the issue as you asked. But here I Go!

 

Like you said, after a week of doing exactly what you said I was almost symptom free(I never exceeded 25 secs of contraction though). I continued doing it for 5 weeks until now. About 3 weeks ago I could still feel it from time to time while working at the computer, which I'm doing now for unbelievable 8hrs a day. Right now it's like 95% gone, so I will continue, but man, that thing really did it!

 

And I really cannot believe it was soo freaking effective. This exercise has been a godsend for me. Thank you thank you THANK YOU SPACESTER!!!

 

ps. I should add: I tried countless other things; hot/cold water, stretches of all kind, massages of all kind, herbal remedies, stripes, physiotherapy, lasers, ultrasounds, accupuncture, steroids(!!!), relaxants, water fasting... Sick! Nothing worked nearly as effectively as that!

 

 

Awesome! That's great to hear!

[Wells]

.

Edited October 4, 2016 by spacester

[Wu Ming Jen]

The 70 /30 advise is out standing because what is now 70% range becomes 50% and less.

 

Difficulty in the beginning after practice all joints should feel warm soreness in the legs from  deep stance work. Look at your palms they should look like marble, rosy color with little white spots That shows the energy circulation is happening.

 

synchronize your breath with the movement to oxygenate the blood and understand how the power works meaning sit down exhale stand up inhale natural way of breath. 

 

8 Pieces is a great set to start with and can be modified shorter time spent in repetitions maybe a higher stance in the beginning.

 

Seems to me your are experiences positive effects from practice. Funny how it all looks effortless until we start doing the exercises. All weakness in body structure will vanish to dust with enough practice.