Explanation
This remedy tonifies Qi, nourishes Kidney-Yin, resolves Dampness and moves Blood. It is
normally used for prostatic hypertrophy occurring against a background of Qi and Kidney-Yin
deficiency. In this case, it can be used for Qi Painful-Urination Syndrome of the Empty type, i.e.
from deficiency of Qi and Yin.
The tongue presentation appropriate to this remedy is a Red body with rootless coating on the
whole, but also sticky on the root and with red spots.
Case History 20.4
Painful-Urination Syndrome: Stagnation of Liver-Qi-Female, Age 30
A 30-year-old woman had been suffering for 6 months from what had been diagnosed as
"cystitis". Her urination was frequent and there was pain and distension in the hypogastrium, but
no burning during micturition. Urine tests showed no infection. Apart from this, she frequently
experienced abdominal distension and she suffered from premenstrual tension with irritability
and breast distension. In the past, she had suffered from depression. She also had some lower
backache, dizziness and slight tinnitus. Her tongue was of a normal colour except for Red sides.
Her pulse was Weak on both Rear positions and slightly Wiry on the left side.
Diagnosis This is Qi Painful-Urination Syndrome of the Excess-type, i.e. from
stagnation of Liver-Qi. The symptoms of this are pain and distension of
the hypogastrium: there are also other general symptoms of Liver-Qi
stagnation such as abdominal distension, premenstrual tension, the
depression in the past, and a Wiry pulse. Apart from this, this patient
also had some deficiency of the Kidneys as shown by the backache,
dizziness and tinnitus, at this moment in time, without pronounced
symptoms of either Yin or Yang deficiency.
Treatment principle The treatment principle adopted was to pacify the Liver, eliminate
stagnation and tonify the Kidneys. She was treated only with
acupuncture.
Acupuncture The main points used (with reinforcing method to tonify the Kidneys
and even method to pacify the Liver) were selected from the following:
LU-7 Lieque and KI-6 Zhaohai to open the Directing Vessel and move
Qi in the urinary system.Ren-3 Zhongji to move Qi in the Bladder and hypogastric region.LIV-5 Ligou and LIV-3 Taichong to move Liver-Qi in the
hypogastrium.