Kai Chen Ph.D. in Chinese Medicine

TCM Dr. in British Columbia, Canada

205 Burnside Road East, Victoria, B.C. V9A 1A4 Canada

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Chinese Medicine Kidney Disorders  

In TCM, Kidneys locate on both sides of the back and its functions relate with water metabolism, reproduction and growth, etc. The common symptoms may be water metabolism disorders, such as edema, difficult urination and incontinence of urination; reproduction functions disorders, such as impotence, premature ejaculation and infertility; developing disorders, such as children retarded developing and adult premature aging, etc.

1. Edema  

It is abnormal fluid retention in the tissue, which may affect the head, face, eyelids, limbs, abdomen and back and even the entire body.

1.1. Etiology and Pathogenesis

Pathogenic wind factors invading

Damp-toxin invading spleen and lung

Dampness blocking spleen

Heat-damp in San-jiao

Spleen deficiency

Kidney deficiency

1.2. Differentiation and treatment

1.2.1. Yang types

It is pathogenic factors invading, belonging to Biao (Exterior), Shi (excess) and heat syndromes.

1.2.1.1. Pathogenic wind factors invading

Clinical manifestation: Acute edema often beginning from eyelid, with wind-biao syndrome

Treatment principle: Dispersing wind and soothing lung qi to promote water metabolism 

Herb formula: Yue Pi Tang

1.2.1.2. Dampness blocking spleen

Clinical manifestation: Acute whole body edema, white fur, and slippery pulse 

Treatment principle: Tonifying spleen and dispersing damp to promote water metabolism 

Herb formula: Wu Pi Yin added Wei Ling Tang

1.2.1.3. Heat-damp in San-jiao

Clinical manifestation: Acute whole body edema, red tongue with yellow greasy fur, rapid pulse

Treatment principle: Dispersing heat-damp to promote water metabolism 

Herb formula: Shuzao Yinzi

1.2.2. Yin types

1.2.2.1 Spleen deficiency

Clinical manifestation: chronic whole edema often lower part more serious, with spleen qi- syndrome

Treatment principle: Tonifying spleen and warming yang to promote water metabolism 

Herb formula: Shi Pi Yin

1.2.2.2 Kidney deficiency

Clinical manifestation: chronic whole body edema often lower limb more serious, with kidney yang- syndrome

Treatment principle: Tonifying kidney yang to promote water metabolism 

Herb formula: Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan added Zhen Wu Tang

2.Lin Syndrome (Painful and difficult urinations)

It is disease of urination disorders, marked as frequent, urgent and painful urination, dysuria and dripping of urine, etc.

2.1. Etiology and Pathogenesis

Retained dampness-heat

Emotional changes

Spleen and kidney deficiency

2.2. Differentiation and treatment

2.2.1. Lin syndrome due to urolithiasis 

Clinical manifestation: Sandy stones in the urine, pain and difficult urination

Treatment principle: Dispersing heat and dampness to removing stone

Herb formula: Shi Wei San

2.2.2. Due to qi disorder

Clinical manifestation: urine, pain and difficult urination related with emotion or Qi-

Treatment principle: Soothing qi or tonifying qi

Herb formula: Chen Xiang San or Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang

2.2.3. Lin syndrome with bleeding

Clinical manifestation: pain and difficult urination with bleeding or accompanied with yin-

Treatment principle: Dispersing heat to stop bleeding

Herb formula: Xiao Ji Yin Zi or Dao Chi San

2.2.4. Lin syndrome due to Spleen-kidney deficiency

Clinical manifestation: chronic difficult and weak urination aggravated by exertions, pale tongue

Treatment principle: Tonifying spleen and kidney

Herb formula: Wu Bi Shan Yao Wan

2.2.5. Lin syndrome due to heat-damp

Clinical manifestation: frequent, urgent, pain and difficult urination, yellow greasy fur, rapid pulse 

Treatment principle: Dispersing heat-damp

Herb formula: Ba Zheng San

3. Retention of Urine (Long Bi Syndrome)

Long Bi Syndrome is disease of retention of urine marked as difficulty in urination.

3.1. Etiology and Pathogenesis

Accumulation of damp-heat

Lung heat and stagnant lung qi

Failure of spleen qi to ascend

Kidney deficiency

Stagnant liver qi

Blockage of the urinary tract

3.2. Differentiation and treatment

3.2.1. Accumulation of damp-heat

Clinical manifestation: Small, hot and dark yellow urine, red tongue with yellow greasy fur, rapid pulse

Treatment principle: Clearing away heat-damp

Herb formula: Ba Zheng San

3.2.2. Lung heat and stagnant lung qi

Clinical manifestation: febrile disease with small, hot and dark yellow urine, red tongue with yellow, rapid pulse

Treatment principle: Clearing away heat from lung

Herb formula: Qing Fei Tang

3.2.3. Stagnant liver qi

Clinical manifestation: Small and difficult urine related with emotion, taut pulse

Treatment principle: soothing liver qi

Herb formula: Chen Xiang San

3.2.4. Blockage of the urinary tract

Clinical manifestation: Dripping and small, purple tongue

Treatment principle: removing blood stasis

Herb formula: Dai Di Dang Tang

3.2.5. Failure of spleen qi to ascend

Clinical manifestation: A weighted sensation on the lower abdomen, small urine, pale tongue with white, weak pulse

Treatment principle: Tonifying spleen qi 

Herb formula: Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang

3.2.6. Kidney deficiency

Clinical manifestation: Small week urine, and kidney yang-,  pale tongue with white fur, weak and deep pulse

Treatment principle: Tonifying kidney yang

Herb formula: Ji Sheng Shen Qi Wan

4. Impotence (Yang Wei)

Impotence is an erective disorder, which refers to male inability to attain or maintain penile erection sufficient to complete intercourse.  Impotence might be divided into two types: the primary (nerve achieved a sufficient erection) and the secondary (despite present inability but to have been sufficient erection in the past).  Transient periods of impotence are not considered dysfunction and probably occur in half of adult males.  Impotence might be in any age but more frequent with aging.  Around 50-60% causes are psychogenesis factors, others organic causes, such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, cardiovascular diseases, spinal cord trauma, renal failure and some medicines, etc.

4.1. Etiology and Pathogenesis

Kidney deficiency.

Liver qi stagnation. 

Damp-heat stagnation in the lower jiao. 

4.2. Differentiation and treatment 

4.2.1 Kidney deficiency

Clinical manifestation: Impotence or premature ejaculation, pale complexion, lower back and knee sore and weak, fatigue, dizziness, tinnitus, pale tongue with white fur, weak and deep pulse 

Treatment principle: Tonifying Kidney  

Herb formula: Zuo Gui Wan

4.2.2. Liver qi stagnation

Clinical manifestation: Impotence with bad mood, such as depression, anxiety or angry, some hypochondria distension sensation and often sigh, light red tongue with white fur, wiry pulse

Treatment principle: Smoothing liver qi 

Herb formula: Modified Xiao Yao San

4.2.3. Damp-heat stagnation in the lower jiao

Clinical manifestation: Impotence or premature ejaculation, wet scrotum with foul smell, sore and heaviness in the lower limbs, red tongue with yellow greasy fur, slippery or rapid pulse

Treatment principle: Draining dampness and clearing heat 

Herb formula: Long Dan Xie Gan Tang

5. Lumbago

Lumbago, on one or both sides, is a subjective symptom with pain in the area between the twelfth rib and iliac crest on the back.

5.1. Etiology and Pathogenesis

Pathogenic cold-damp factors invading

Pathogenic heat-damp factors invading

Blood stasis

Kidney deficiency

5.2. Differentiation and treatment

5.2.1. Pathogenic cold-damp factors invading

Clinical manifestation: cold pain, gradually developing, aggravated by cold and alleviated by warm  

Treatment principle: Warming channels and dispersing cold and dampness

Herb formula: Gan Jiang Ling Zhu Tang

5.2.2. Pathogenic heat-damp factors invading

Clinical manifestation: hot pain,  aggravated by hot or raining and alleviated by cold  

Treatment principle: clearing away heat-damp from channels

Herb formula: Si Miao Wan

5.2.3. Blood stasis

Clinical manifestation: persistent and fixed pain or after trauma, purple tongue 

Treatment principle: Promoting blood and qi circulation and removing stasis

Herb formula: Shen Tong Zhu Yu Tang

5.2.4. Kidney deficiency

Clinical manifestation: chronic and dull pain, gradually developing, aggravated by exertions

Treatment principle: Tonifying kidney

Herb formula: Yang deficiency: You Gui Wan; Yin deficiency: Zuo Gui Wan