Understanding Pain Tolerance and Medication Sensitivity in TCM

The Yellow Emperor asked Shao Yu: People have varying degrees of strength in their bones and muscles, thickness of skin, and density of their connective tissues. How do these differences affect their ability to tolerate pain caused by acupuncture and moxibustion? Additionally, individuals have different degrees of thickness and toughness in their stomachs and intestines—how does this affect their ability to tolerate medications? Please explain in detail.

Shao Yu replied: Those with strong bones, flexible tendons, relaxed muscles, and thick skin generally have a high pain tolerance. As a result, they can also endure the pain caused by acupuncture and the heat from moxibustion.

The Yellow Emperor asked: Which individuals are able to tolerate the pain caused by heat from moxibustion?

Shao Yu answered: Apart from those I just mentioned, people with dark skin and robust bone structure can also endure the pain from moxibustion.

The Yellow Emperor asked: Who are the individuals who cannot tolerate the pain caused by acupuncture?

Shao Yu replied: People with firm muscles and thin, fragile skin cannot endure the pain caused by acupuncture, and they are also unable to tolerate the pain from moxibustion.

The Yellow Emperor asked: Why is it that some people with the same illness recover easily, while others find it difficult to heal? What is the reason behind this?

Shao Yu said: People with a strong constitution, abundant Yang energy, and a warm body tend to recover more easily. On the other hand, individuals with a cold body and deficient Yang energy find it harder to heal.

The Yellow Emperor asked: How can we determine the strength of a person’s tolerance to medications?

Shao Yu replied: Those with a strong stomach function, dark skin, sturdy bones, and robust muscles have a high tolerance to medications. In contrast, individuals who are thin and have weak stomach function tend to have a lower tolerance to drugs.