Old age and chronic illness weaken Qi in general and may lead to sinking of Spleen-Qi which
causes dribbling of urine or difficulty in urination and Qi or Fatigue Painful-Urination
Syndrome.

Sinking Spleen-Qi causes Qi Painful-Urination Syndrome while Kidney deficiency causes
Fatigue Painful-Urination Syndrome.

Emotional Stress

Emotional stress influences urinary dysfunction but always with the concomitant action of other
aetiological factors.

Emotional factors which cause Liver-Qi stagnation (such as anger, frustration and resentment)
may cause Qi Painful-Urination Syndrome. Intense rage leading to Liver-Fire may cause Heat
Painful-Urination Syndrome when Liver-Fire infuses downwards.

Long-standing grief, sadness and anxiety may all lead to Heart-Fire. This, in turn, may be
transmitted to the Small Intestine to which the Heart is interiorly-exteriorly related. Because of
the connection between the Small Intestine and Bladder channels (within the Greater-Yang
channels), Fire is transmitted to the Bladder causing Heat Painful-Urination Syndrome.

Excessive Lifting or Standing

Excessive lifting of heavy objects or standing may cause stagnation of Qi in the Lower Burner.
This prevents the Triple Burner from ensuring that the Water passages are open and it therefore
causes stagnation of fluids in the urinary tract. Eventually, it will lead to Dampness which
obstructs the urinary tract and causes Cloudy Painful-Urination Syndrome.

A particular case of stagnation of Qi in the Lower Burner is the one caused by a hysterectomy.
Very often, when the uterus is surgically removed, the stagnation of Qi and Blood affecting it is
transmitted to its nearest organ, i.e. the Bladder. It is for this reason that many women suffer
from recurrent "cystitis" after a hysterectomy.

Diagnosis

In diagnosing Painful-Urination Syndrome one must take into account the following aspects:

• Frequency of urination


• Ease or difficulty of urination


• Colour of urine