Xi Guan Jie Xiao Tong Wan - Knee Joint Pain Relief - TCM Herbal Formula

Chinese Name: Xi Guan Jie Xiao Tong Wan
English Name: Knee Joint Pain Relief

Formula Category


Clinical Usage and Indications

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Related TCM Diagnostic Patterns


Staff Clinician Notes:

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Cautions and Contraindications:

None at this time.  As always consult with an acupuncturist/herbalist before use.

Related Western Medical Conditions:


Individual Chinese Herbs In This Formula:


  • Bai Shao
  • Herb Functions
    • Nourishes the blood and regulates menstrual problems due to blood deficiency (pale, lusterless complexion and nails) - menstrual dysfunction, vaginal discharge, uterine bleeding - very common herb for gynecological disorders (Si Wu Tang).
    • Calms liver yang, alleviates pain from constrained liver qi or disharmony between the liver and the spleen due to liver yang rising - cramping and spasms (limbs and abdomen), abdominal pain from dysentery, headache and dizziness.
    • Preserves yin, adjusts ying and wei levels - vaginal discharge and spermatorrhea, exterior wind-cold from deficiency with continuous sweating, spontaneous sweating, night sweats.

  • Contraindications
    • Incompatible with Li Lu
    • Avoid in cases of yang deficiency and cold in the middle jiao - diarrhea, cold sensation in the stomach.

  • Chuan Xiong
  • Herb Functions
    • Invigorate blood, promote movement of Qi - any blood stasis pattern, important for gynecological issues (amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, difficult labor, lochioschesis).
    • Expels wind and alleviates pain - headache (temporal, vertex), dizziness, painful obstructions, skin issues.
    • Headache - moves qi upward and alleviates pain; headaches due to wind, heat, cold, blood deficiency.

  • Dang Gui
  • Herb Functions
    • Tonifies the blood, regulates menses - pallid, ashen complexion, tinnitus, blurred vision, palpitations, irregular menses, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea.
    • Invigorates/harmonizes the blood, disperses cold - important herb to stop pain due to blood stasis - abdominal pain, trauma, carbuncles due to blood stasis, chronic bi.
    • Moistens dry intestines due to blood deficiency.
    • Reduces swellings, expels pus, generates flesh - sores.

  • Dang Shen
  • Herb Functions
    • Tonifies the middle warmer, augments the qi - lack of appetite, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting, any spleen qi deficiency issues, prolapse of uterus, stomach, rectum.
    • Tonifies the lungs - lung deficiency w/chronic cough, shortness of breath, copious sputum due to spleen qi deficiency.
    • Nourishes fluids - xiao ke, thirst due to injury to fluids.
    • Often used with herbs that release the exterior when patient has significant qi deficiency.

  • Du Huo
  • Herb Functions
    • Dispels wind-cold-damp - bi syndromes, especially lower back and legs (acute/chronic).
    • Shao yin stage headache and toothache.

  • Du Zhong
  • Herb Functions
    • Tonify liver and kidneys, strengthen sinews and bones - weak, painful knees and lower back, fatigue, frequent urination.
    • Promotes smooth flow of qi and blood circulation.
    • Calms the fetus - for cold deficient kidney patterns with bleeding during pregnancy, prevents miscarriages from deficiency.
    • Recently used for dizziness from liver yang rising (hypertension).

  • Fang Feng
  • Herb Functions
    • Releases exterior, expel wind-cold (headache, chills, body ache)
    • Bi-Syndromes, Wind-Damp, alleviates pain, relieves spasms (not very strong, only as a supporting herb)
    • Trembling hands and/or feet
    • Spleen/Liver intestinal issues - painful diarrhea, bright blood in stool
    • Migraines

  • Contraindications
    • Avoid in Yin Deficiency - Empty Heat
    • Avoid in spasms from Blood Deficiency

  • Fu Ling
  • Herb Functions
    • Promotes urination, drains dampness, transforms phlegm - urinary difficulty, diarrhea, edema, headache, dizziness, greasy tongue coat.
    • Strengthens the spleen, harmonizes the middle jiao - diarrhea, loss of appetite.
    • Quiets the heart and calms the spirit - palpitations, insomnia, forgetfulness.

  • Contraindications
    • Avoid Vinegar While Using This Herb.

  • Gan Cao
  • Herb Functions
    • Tonifies the spleen and augments qi - spleen deficiency w/shortness of breath, fatigue, loose stools (si jun zi tong).
    • Qi and/or blood deficiency w/irregular pluse or palpitations (Zhi Gan Cao Tang).
    • Moistens the lungs and stops cough - heat/cold in the lungs (Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang).
    • Clears heat and toxic fire (raw) - carbuncles, sores, sore throat due to fire toxin (internally or topically).
    • Alleviates pain and stops spasms - abdomen or legs (Shao Yao Gan Cao Tang).
    • Often used to harmonize and/or moderate characteristics of other herbs.
    • Antidote for toxic substances (internally and topically).

  • Contraindications
    • Avoid with excess dampness, nausea, vomiting.
    • Incompatible with Gan Sui, Da Ji, Yuan Hua, Hai Zao (although used in some formulas with Hai Zao).
    • If taken for long periods of time, may cause hypertension and/or edema.

  • Gan Jiang
  • Herb Functions
    • Warms the middle and expels cold - warms spleen and stomach both in conditions of excess due to externally contacted cold, as well as cold from deficiency due to yang qi deficiency.
    • Rescues devastated yang, expels interior cold - very weak pulse and cold limbs.
    • Warms the lungs and transforms phlegm - lung cold with thin, watery or white sputum.
    • Warms the channels, stops bleeding - hemorrhage of various types, especially for uterine bleeding (must be due to cold - chronic and pale in color, with cold limbs, soggy pulse).

  • Huang Qi
  • Herb Functions
    • Tonifies spleen qi - lack of appetite, fatigue, diarrhea.
    • Raises yang qi of spleen and stomach - prolapse of uterus, stomach, rectum, uterine bleeding.
    • Augments the wei qi and stabilizes the exterior - deficiency w/spontaneous sweating, frequent colds or shortness of breath.
    • Tonify qi and blood due to loss of blood - postpartum fever.
    • Edema from deficiency.
    • Promote discharge of pus, generate flesh - sores due to deficiency.

  • Qin Jiao
  • Herb Functions
    • Dispels wind-damp bi and cramping, especially in the extremities, for acute/chronic, cold/hot conditions.
    • Clears deficient heat - fever, steaming bone disorder.
    • Jaundice due to acute damp-heat.
    • Counteracts drying action of other herbs that dispel wind-damp - moistens intestines for dry constipation.

  • Rou Gui
  • Herb Functions
    • Warms the kidneys and fortifies yang - aversion to cold, cold limbs, weak back, impotence, frequent urination; also for waning of spleen and kidney yang with abdominal pain and cold, reduced appetite, diarrhea; wheezing due to failure of the kidneys to grasp the Qi.
    • Leads floating yang back to its source - upward floating of deficient yang; flushed face, wheezing, severe sweating (like oil), weak and cold lower extremities, deficient and rootless pulse (false heat-true cold, or heat above-cold below).
    • Disperses deep cold, warms the channels, alleviates pain due to cold causing qi or blood stasis; amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea.
    • Encourages generation of Qi and blood.

  • Contraindications

  • Sheng Di Huang
  • Herb Functions
    • Clears Heat, Cools Blood. High fever, thirst, scarlet tongue, hemorrhage due to heat in the Blood.
    • Nourishes Yin, Generates Fluids. Yin Deficiency with heat signs with injury to body fluids. Dry mouth, low-grade fever, constipation, throat pain from yin deficiency.
    • Cools Ascending Heart Fire (HT, LV). Mouth and tongue sores, irritability, insomnia, malar flush.
    • Wasting thirst disorder.

  • Contraindications
    Spleen Deficiency, Yang Deficiency, Damp Phlegm, Digestion Difficulties.
  • Xu Duan
  • Herb Functions
    • Tonify liver and kidney, strengthen sinews and bones - lower back and/or knee weakness and pain, stiff joints.
    • Tonify without causing stagnation.
    • Stops uterine bleeding, calms the fetus - bleeding during pregnancy, threatened miscarriage.
    • Promote blood circulation, alleviate pain, generate flesh - traumatic injuries in the lower back and legs, external conditions such as sores.