Kidney Yang 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.

Pathology

Kidney Yang Deficiency causes Internal Cold and weakness. It indicates that the Fire of the Gate of Life, which is located between the two Kidneys and supplies fundamental warmth for the body, is also impaired.  Therefore, the Organs lack warmth and cannot fully perform their functions.

Additionally, Essence cannot warm the sexual function and the Uterus, which can lead to infertility and lowered libido. It also causes insufficient Qi to strengthen the bones, making them brittle.

In severe cases, Yang's function of transforming Body Fluids is impaired. Thus Oedema accumulates and it cause water retention in other Organs, especially the Heart and the Lungs. As a result, symptoms such as breathlessness on exertion, cough, asthma with thin, watery and frothy sputum, palpitations as well as cold hands may appear.

Kidney Yang Deficiency is often paired with patterns such as Deficient Heart, Deficient Spleen Yang or Deficient Lung Qi.

Causes

Precursor patterns: Kidney Yang Deficiency can derive from Kidney Essence Deficiency Kidney Qi not Firm Spleen Qi Deficiency Spleen Yang Deficiency Spleen Qi Sinking Spleen Blood Deficiency Spleen not controlling Blood Cold-Damp invading the Spleen Small Intestine Deficient and Cold Damp-Cold in the Bladder Bladder Deficient and Cold

Chronic diseases: A chronic diseases, especially these come with Spleen Yang Deficiency, can harm Kidney Yang if they are kept untreated for a very long time.

Excessive sexual activity: Excessive sexual activities can also cause this pattern, especially if one is exposed to cold immediately after intercourse. For woman patients, their Kidney Yang can be largely impaired if they happen to have too early, for example, during puberty.

Physical over-exertion: Excessive physical work depletes Kidney Yang.

Over-exercising: Like physical over-exertion, over-exercising is also a cause for consuming Kidney Yang.

Diet: Excessive intake of cold and raw foods and drinks as well as juices, fruits, iced drinks and foods such as ice cream or frozen yogurt create Cold in the Kidneys and injure the Yang. There are other Kidney depleting substances such as alcohol, coffee, caffeinated drinks or foods, tobacco and sugar.

External Cold and Dampness: Overexposure to cold and wet climates and environments can cause this pattern.

Diagnosing Kidney Yang 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.

Treating Kidney Yang Deficiency

Treatment principle

Tonify and warm the Kidneys, strengthen the Gate of Life Fire. 

Herbal formulas used to treat Kidney Yang 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. 

Related conditions

Please keep in mind that a Western Medicine condition can be caused by several Chinese Medicine patterns of disharmony and vice versa. As such a patient suffering from one of the conditions below will not necessarily be suffering from Kidney Yang Deficiency, it is just one pattern that's commonly associated with the condition. Click on a condition to learn what other patterns it's associated with.

Abnormal vaginal discharge Irregular menstruation Menopausal syndrome Late menstruation Anemia Hypertension Chronic bronchitis Chronic rhinitis Rectal prolapse Infertility Cystitis Urticaria Eczema Pyelonephritis Emphysema Asthma Edema Nephrotic syndrome Kidney stones Keratities Hyperaldosteronism Hypothyroidism Chronic nephritis Renal tuberculosis Diabetes mellitus Diabetes insipidus Cataract Glaucoma Neurasthenia Addison's disease Arteriosclerosis Albuminuria Chronic gonorrhea Arthritis Osteoporosis Leukopenia Bronchial asthma Nephritis Benign prostatic hypertrophy Chronic glomerular Renal stones Chronic urethritis Paralysis of the detrusor muscle Urinary retention Vitreous opacity Chronic tonsillitis Neurogenic tinnitus Periodontal disease Premature ejaculation Wheezing Heavy back Heavy knees Knee weakness Weak back Urinary difficulties Coughing Phlegm

Consequence patterns

Heart Yang Collapsing

Since the Kidneys are the origin of all body energies, a severe and chronic Deficiency of Kidney Yang is a mandatory precondition to Heart-Yang Collapsing.

Kidney Yang Deficiency with Water overflowing

Long-term chronic Spleen Yang Deficiency may lead to "Water overflowing", especially when there is also Dampness.

Kidneys failing to receive Qi

If left untreated Kidney Yang Deficiency can lead to Kidneys failing to receive Qi

Damp-Phlegm in the Lungs

For the elderly, Kidney Yang Deficiency is often the precursor of Damp-Phlegm in the Lungs. It is because the Kidneys are responsible for Body Fluids transformation, thus the malfunction of Kidneys give rise to Phlegm accumulation. 

Cold-Phlegm in the Lungs

In the elderly, Kidney Yang Deficiency can impair the Kidney's ability to transform and transport Body Fluids, thus the formation of Dampness and Phlegm, which then gets stored in the Lungs. 

Phlegm-Heat in the Lungs

In the elderly, Kidney Yang Deficiency can impair the Kidney's ability to transform and transport Body Fluids, thus the formation of Dampness and Phlegm, which then gets stored in the Lungs. 

Damp-Heat in the Bladder

Kidney Yang Deficiency contributes to the formation of Dampness in the Lower Burner. As such, it can coexist as a pattern together with Damp-Heat in the Bladder.

Damp-Cold in the Bladder

Kidney Yang Deficiency contributes to the formation of Dampness in the Lower Burner.

Bladder Deficient and Cold

Kidney Yang Deficiency is the most frequent precursor of Bladder Deficient and Cold.

Oedema

The Kidneys control water circulation and balance Body Fluids in the body. They are the root of water metabolism in the body, strengthened by the Spleen's function of transforming and raising Fluids and the Lungs' function of circulating and descending Fluids to the Lower Burner.

If this function is impaired, Body Fluids overflows out of their normal channels and settle in the space between skin and the muscles in the lower part of the body, such as the legs and ankles. 

Spleen Yang Deficiency

Yang Deficiency can happen to various Organs because of Kidney Yang Deficiency, which is the original of all body Heat because the Gate of Life Fire is located between two Kidneys. 

Therefore, the lack of Yang in Kidneys can provoke Yang Deficiency in other Organs, especially the Spleen, Stomach, Lungs and Heart. 

Lung Yang Deficiency

Yang Deficiency can happen to various Organs because of Kidney Yang Deficiency, which is the original of all body Heat because the Gate of Life Fire is located between two Kidneys. 

Therefore, the lack of Yang in Kidneys can provoke Yang Deficiency in other Organs, especially the Spleen, Stomach, Lungs and Heart. 

Heart Yang Deficiency

Yang Deficiency can happen to various Organs because of Kidney Yang Deficiency, which is the original of all body Heat because the Gate of Life Fire is located between two Kidneys. 

Therefore, the lack of Yang in Kidneys can provoke Yang Deficiency in other Organs, especially the Spleen, Stomach, Lungs and Heart. 

Kidney Essence Deficiency

Kidney Essence (Jing 精) Deficiency usually involves Deficiency of Kidney Yin and, to some extent, Kidney Yang as well. Vice versa, Yin or Yang Deficiency of the Kidneys can also cause the lacking of Essence. 

Cold in the Uterus

Kidney Yang is the origin of all body Yang. When it is lacking, it affects various Organs, including the Uterus.