Dr Huang’s SNAN Acupuncture–Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
Perfectly Managing Plantar Pain, Burning, and Numbness
A 36-year-old female patient presents with complaints of bilateral plantar pain, numbness, and a burning sensation for over two months. The pain is intolerable while walking and radiates upward to the calf and knee areas. A neurologist’s examination suggested a neurological issue but provided no treatment plan. After a month of physical therapy with no improvement, the patient tried various pain medications with no effect. Thepatient became very desperate, crying daily, feeling that her quality of life was so poor that she could no longer care for her family or children. She found my clinic
through an online search for treatment.
Examination: A young female with no redness or swelling in the lower limbs, no fever, and normal appearance. The tongue is normal with a thin yellow coating, and the pulse is weak in the distal part. Applying pressure to both inner ankle joints revealed abnormal pain sensitivity, which the patient could not tolerate. The pain and numbness radiated from the foot to the knee. Diagnosis: “Bilateral Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome” – primarily due to kidney deficiency and damp-heat.
Treatment: The patient was placed in a supine position. Using the SNAN acupuncture technique, I treated the painful nodules near the medial malleolus and the tarsal tunnel area, eliminating the tenderness. After a 10-minute treatment, the patient stood up and walked, reporting that the plantar pain and numbness were completely gone. She was very pleased. I advised her to take Chinese herbal medicine to tonify the kidneys and clear heat.
Discussion: Tarsal tunnel syndrome is clinically very common, but many doctors are not familiar with the condition. Tarsal tunnel syndrome occurs when the tarsal tunnel narrows, compressing the tibial nerve and blood vessels, leading to numbness, pain, and burning sensations on the inner side of the foot. Symptoms typically include pain and numbness in the sole and inner ankle of the foot, which worsen with exertion and improve with rest. If the condition persists, burning pain may develop in the foot, becoming more severe at night or after walking. In some cases, local skin may become dry, cold, pale, and lack sweat. In severe cases, atrophy of the intrinsic muscles of the foot, innervated by the tibial nerve, can occur. Common causes of tarsal tunnel syndrome include ankle injuries, tarsal tunnel inflammation, tumors, ankle joint overuse, flat feet, foot eversion, poor ankle alignment, and diabetes. Acute ankle sprains, overuse, abnormal bone healing, tendon sheath inflammation, and especially repetitive pulling of the flexor tendons, can lead to congestion, edema, and thickening of the tendon sheath, narrowing the tunnel and compressing the tibial nerve, resulting in neurological dysfunction. In general, traditional acupuncture and physical therapy have limited effectiveness for this condition.
The SNAN acupuncture technique, invented by Dr. Huang Guojian, is a shallow needle release technique that directly relieves tibial nerve compression caused by tarsal tunnel narrowing, eliminates adhesions, reduces inflammation, restores blood circulation, and produces immediate results. Additionally, Chinese herbal medicine is recommended to balance the body’s yin and yang, eliminate internal blood stasis, and promote recovery of health.
浅刺解结针法：完美疗愈足底疼痛、灼热与麻木-跖管综合征
女性患者36岁，主诉双足底疼痛，麻木，有烧灼感2个多月。走路时疼痛难忍，而且疼痛向上传导到小腿和膝关节部位，神经科专家检查是神经问题，但是没有治疗方案；转到物理治疗一个月，没有任何效果。服用各种治痛药物也无任何效果，病人非常绝望，每天哭泣，感觉自己的生活质量已经无法照顾自己的家庭和孩子。通过网络到我诊所求治。检查：年轻女性，双下肢无红肿，我发热，外观正常，舌质正常，苔薄黄，脉象尺部弱，重按无力。按压两侧内踝关节，疼痛异常敏感，不能忍受，同时有疼痛麻木感向足底及膝关节等处传导。诊断为“双侧跖管综合征”-肾虚湿热为主。
治疗：病人仰卧，在内侧腓骨小头、内踝跖管附近的压痛结节处用SNAN针法治疗，消除压痛结节。10分钟治疗结束，病人起床行走，诉足底疼痛和麻木感消失，非常高兴。嘱服用中药补肾清热。
讨论：跖管综合征临床非常常见，但一般医生并不了解此病。踝管综合征是因踝管发生狭窄使管内的胫神经和血管受压，出现足底内侧麻木、疼痛和足底灼痛为主要表现的疾病。表现为足底和足踝内侧疼痛、麻木，劳累后明显，休息后减轻。如果病程较长可出现足底灼痛，夜间或行走后更为严重。部分患者局部可有皮肤干燥、无汗、发凉、苍白。严重者胫神经所支配的足底内在肌萎缩。引起踝管综合征常见的病因包括：踝部外伤、踝管炎症、踝管肿瘤、踝关节劳损、扁平足、足外翻、足踝位置不良、糖尿病等。踝部急性扭伤、劳损、骨折畸形愈合或腱鞘炎等，尤其是长屈肌腱受到反复牵拉，引起腱鞘充血、水肿、鞘壁增厚，使管腔相对变窄，压迫管内胫神经而产生神经功能障碍症状。治疗，一般情况下针灸、物理治疗效果较差。SNAN 针法是黄国健博士发明的一种浅刺解结针法，可以直接解除踝管狭窄对胫神经的卡压，解除粘连，消除炎症，恢复血液循环，取得立竿见影的效果。同时，还应该服用一些中药，调节身体阴阳平衡，消除体内瘀血，促进恢复健康。