Donguibogam explains numbness in hands and feet or paresthesia under the broad category of bi syndrome. The character bi carries the meaning of being blocked and numb, referring to symptoms that arise when the circulation of qi and blood is impaired. The body functions much like an intricate road network. Qi supplies vitality like fuel for vehicles, while blood circulates throughout the entire body carrying nutrients, much like cars traveling along roads. If traffic congestion develops along the way, known as qi and blood stagnation, or if vehicles cannot run properly due to an outright lack of fuel, known as qi and blood deficiency, supplying necessary resources to specific areas becomes difficult.
In particular, individuals who have managed diabetes for an extended period—termed wasting-thirst in Donguibogam—are prone to blood deficiency as body fluids dry up and become depleted. When blood becomes deficient, it fails to properly nourish the meridians and collaterals, which are the pathways for qi and blood. The peripheral nerves and blood vessels are like the delicate branches of these meridians, and when they are deprived of nourishment, numbness develops. This concept of numbness corresponds closely to modern descriptions of numbness in hands and feet and paresthesia.
Donguibogam advises looking beyond simple poor blood circulation to address the deeper internal imbalances beneath it, such as deficiency of qi and blood or stagnation in circulation. In people with diabetes, numbness in hands and feet reflects a combination of exhaustion of body fluids, the resulting deficiency of qi and blood, and inadequate nourishment reaching the microvessels and nerves. It resembles an aging pipe where accumulated debris and rust reduce the water flow to a trickle before blocking it entirely. When that occurs within the body, proper vitality cannot reach the extremities. Rather than brushing off these sensations as ordinary fatigue, it is important to pay close attention to this signal from the body.
