Painful urination according to Chinese Medicine
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.
In Chinese Medicine, painful urination is sometimes associated with Damp-Heat in the Bladder, a so-called "patterns of disharmony". Chinese Medicine sees the body as a system, not a sum of isolated parts. A "pattern" is when the system's harmony is disrupted. It is not equivalent to the Western concept of "disease" because both concepts arise from totally different ways of seeing the human body.
To understand whether someone's painful urination might be caused by the pattern Damp-Heat in the Bladder, one needs to look for signs and symptoms associated with the pattern beyond what one might typically experience from painful urination alone. Indeed if painful urination is caused by Damp-Heat in the Bladder, patients also experience symptoms such as urinary dribbling and urine the color of rice water - grey and cloudy.
We've listed below a more detailed description of Damp-Heat in the Bladder so that you can have a better understanding of where painful urination might find its root according to Chinese Medicine.
Once identified, patterns are often treated using herbal formulas. Drinking herbal infusions is the most common remedy in Chinese Medicine, together with acupuncture. Here we detail below Bi Xie Fen Qing Yin, a formula that can help treat Damp-Heat in the Bladder.
Damp-Heat in the Bladder, a "pattern of disharmony" associated with painful urination
The Bladder is a so-called "Fu" Organ. Learn more about the Bladder in Chinese Medicine
Damp-Heat in the Bladder
Tongue coating: Yellow coating
Recommended herbal formula: Bi Xie Fen Qing Yin
Symptoms: Urinary dribbling Urine the color of rice water - grey and cloudy
Painful urination might be due to Damp-Heat in the Bladder if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as urinary dribbling and urine the color of rice water - grey and cloudy.
Bi Xie Fen Qing Yin, a herbal formula that might help with painful urination
Bi Xie Fen Qing Yin
Source date: 1732 AD
Number of ingredients: 4 herbs
Key actions: Clears Heat. Warms the Kidneys. Drains Dampness. Separates the clear from the turbid.
Why might Bi Xie Fen Qing Yin help with painful urination?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat Damp-Heat in the Bladder, a pattern sometimes associated with painful urination. If it looks like you might suffer from Damp-Heat in the Bladder, this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Symptoms related to painful urination
Urinary dribbling Urine the color of rice water - grey and cloudy
