Kidney Essence Deficiency
The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.
At a glance
Preliminary reading: What is a pattern? The concept of Essence The concept of Deficiency The Kidneys in Chinese Medicine
Key attributes
Chinese name: 肾精虚 Pinyin name: Shèn Jīng Xū
Pattern nature: Empty
Causes
Precursor patterns: Kidney Yang Deficiency Liver Blood Deficiency Kidney Yin Deficiency
Common causes: 1. Poor constitution, 2. Excessive sexual activity, 3. Loss of Blood, 4. Childbirth
Diagnosis
Common symptoms: Deafness Hair loss Sterility Dizziness Retardation and nine other symptoms
Pulse type(s): Empty (Xu), Floating (Fu)
Tongue description: Red and peeled tongue
Treatment
Treatment principle: Nourish the Essence, tonify the Kidneys
Common formulas: Zuo Gui Wan Wu Zi Yan Zong Wan Tu Si Zi Wan and one other formulas
Pathology
Kidney Essence (Jing 精) Deficiency usually involves Deficiency of Kidney Yin and, to some extent, Kidney Yang. Its signs manifest in relation to growth, development, reproduction, sexuality, bones, marrow, the brain, teeth, memory and hair.
Poor hereditary constitution in children, aging, excessive sexual activity and Kidney Yin or Yang Deficiency over a prolonged time may lead to the decreasing of Kidney Essence.
In children, this pattern is almost always caused by a hereditary weakness. It can be due to parents being too old or in poor health at the time of conception. The typical manifestation is poor bone development and late closure of fontanelle. It is because the Essence is essential in generating Marrow and nourish the bones. For the same reason, this pattern can lead to bones softening as well as knees and legs weakness for adults.
The Deficient Kidney Essence fails to fills the brain with Marrow, hence the symptoms of retardation for kids as well as poorer memory and decreased mental sharpness for adults.
The Essence is also responsible for the hair growth. Therefore the lacking of Essence gives rise to hair lose or premature greying of hair.
Finally, the Kidney Essence is the essential element in term of healthy sexual function. Therefore this pattern causes all kinds of sexual inability for both women and men as well as infertility and sterility.
Causes
Precursor patterns: Kidney Essence Deficiency can derive from Kidney Yang Deficiency Liver Blood Deficiency Kidney Yin Deficiency
Poor constitution: In children, hereditary weakness is almost the only reason for this pattern. If often happens if the parents are too old or in poor health at the time of conception.
Excessive sexual activity: Excessive sexual activity consumes Kidney Essence.
Loss of Blood : For women, prolonged loss of blood over many years can lead to this pattern. It often happens to these suffering often from heavy periods.
Childbirth: This pattern can be caused by having too many kids too close together without proper recovery in between.
Diagnosing Kidney Essence Deficiency
Diagnosing a pattern in Chinese Medicine is no easy feat and should be left to professional practitioners. In particular one has to know how to differentiate between different types of pulses and tongue coatings, shapes and colors as well as learn to read from a long list of seemingly unrelated symptoms.
Pulse type(s): Empty (Xu) or floating (Fu)
Tongue description: Red and peeled tongue
Main symptoms: Deafness Hair loss Sterility Dizziness Retardation Infertility Blurred vision Absentmindness Mental dullness Lower back pain Softening of bones Primary amenorrhoea Decreased mental sharpness Loss of hearing or deafness
Diagnosis commentary: Key characteristic symptoms of this pattern are the poor bone development for children as well as weak knees, falling hair, weak sexual activity for adult. If the pattern is due to Kidney Yin Deficiency, there won't be any coating. If it is caused by Kidney Yang Deficiency, the tongue will be pale.
Treating Kidney Essence Deficiency
Treatment principle
Nourish the Essence, tonify the Kidneys
Herbal formulas used to treat Kidney Essence Deficiency
Zuo Gui Wan
Source date: 1624 AD
Number of ingredients: 8 herbs
Key actions: Nourishes the Yin. Strengthens the Kidneys. Fills the Essence. Augments the marrow.
Formula summary
Zuo Gui Wan is a 8-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 1624 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that nourish Yin and tonify.
Besides Kidney Essence Deficiency, Zuo Gui Wan is also used to treat Yin Deficiency or Kidney Yin Deficiency.
Tu Si Zi Wan
Source date: 1253 AD
Number of ingredients: 11 herbs
Key actions: Warms the Kidneys. Prevents abnormal leakage such as urinary incontinence or seminal emissions.
Formula summary
Tu Si Zi Wan is a 11-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 1253 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that warm Yang and tonify.
Besides Kidney Essence Deficiency, Tu Si Zi Wan is also used to treat Kidney Qi not Firm or Kidney Yang Deficiency.
Qi Bao Mei Ran Dan
Source date: 1590 AD
Number of ingredients: 9 herbs
Key actions: Enriches the Kidney Yin. Nourishes the Liver Blood.
Formula summary
Qi Bao Mei Ran Dan is a 9-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 1590 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that tonify Yin and Yang.
Besides Kidney Essence Deficiency, Qi Bao Mei Ran Dan is also used to treat Liver Blood Deficiency or Kidney Yin Deficiency.
Diet recommendations
Eat a balanced diet of all cooked foods and those with a warm energy such as whole grains, legumes (especially aduki beans), meat (especially lamb, beef and pork), cooked vegetables and greens. Drink walnut tea or use walnuts in cooking. Asparagus, black cherry juice, raspberries and millet all aid Kidney Qi.
Avoid any intake of cold and raw foods and drinks, frozen yogurt, ice cream, popsicles, iced and refrigerated drinks, juices, sodas, coffee and other caffeinated foods and drinks, sugar, alcohol, soy milk and tofu.
Avoid excessive sexual activity, exposure to cold (especially over the lower abdomen and back), and excessive use of hot tubs and saunas, being sure to dunk or thoroughly rinse in cool water after they are used.
Wear a harimaki to protect the abdomen from the external Coldness. Apply moxibustion or ginger fomentations over the lower abdomen and Kidney regions. Try also breathing exercises.
Get plenty of physical exercise as appropriate for your body's capability. Do the Four Purifications and Ujjayi (in the Winter) and the Eight Brocades, especially exercise numbers 7 and 8.
Consequence patterns
The Liver and Kidneys share a very close physiological relationship. One of the Liver's main function is to store Blood and it plays an important role in forming Essence which are mainly stored in the Kidneys.
Therefore, Kidney Essence Deficiency can cause lacking of Blood in the Liver or vice versa, especially for women.
Kidney Yin or Yang Deficiency over a prolonged time may leads to Kidney Essence Deficiency and vice versa.
Kidney Yin or Yang Deficiency over a prolonged time may leads to Kidney Essence Deficiency and vice versa.