Urinary stones 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.
Urinary stones factsheet
Possible causes and remedies:
Symptoms: Painful urinary dribbling Stony painful urinary dribbling
Recommended formula: Liu Yi San
In Chinese Medicine, urinary stones can be associated with four 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", as a matter of fact here urinary stones can be caused by four different patterns.
To understand whether someone's urinary stones might be caused by a given pattern, one needs to look for signs and symptoms associated with the pattern beyond what one might typically experience from urinary stones alone. For instance when urinary stones is caused by the pattern Summer Heat, patients also experience symptoms such as fever, sweating, thirst and irritability. Similarly, patients with Summer Heat typically exhibit rapid (Shu) or soggy (Ru) pulses as well as a tongue with yellow coating.
We've listed below a description of the four patterns associated with urinary stones so that you can start to get an understanding of the various possibilities 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 six formulas that can help treat the various patterns associated with urinary stones, depending on which pattern fits your profile.
The four "patterns of disharmony" associated with urinary stones
Talc (Hua Shi) is the key herb for Liu Yi San, a formula used for Summer Heat
Summer Heat
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu), Soggy (Ru)
Tongue coating: Yellow coating
Recommended herbal formula: Liu Yi San
Symptoms: Fever Thirst Sweating Diarrhea Vomiting Irritability Urinary difficulty
Urinary stones might be due to Summer Heat if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as fever, sweating, thirst and irritability. Similarly, patients with Summer Heat typically exhibit rapid (Shu) or soggy (Ru) pulses as well as a tongue with yellow coating.
The Bladder is a so-called "Fu" Organ. Learn more about the Bladder in Chinese Medicine
Damp-Heat in the Bladder
Recommended herbal formula: Liu Yi San
Symptoms: Painful urinary dribbling Stony painful urinary dribbling
Urinary stones might be due to Damp-Heat in the Bladder if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as painful urinary dribbling and stony painful urinary dribbling.
Rhubarb (Da Huang) is the key herb for Da Cheng Qi Tang, a formula used for Heat in Yang brightness Organs
Heat in Yang brightness Organs
Pulse type(s): Full (Shi)
Tongue coating: Grey or black coating, Yellow coating
Recommended herbal formula: Da Cheng Qi Tang
Symptoms: Flatulence Focal distention Abdominal fullness Severe constipation Tense and firm abdomen Abdominal pain that increases upon pressure
Urinary stones might be due to Heat in Yang brightness Organs if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as severe constipation, flatulence, focal distention and abdominal fullness. Similarly, patients with Heat in Yang brightness Organs typically exhibit full (Shi) pulses as well as a tongue with grey or black coating, yellow coating.
Rhubarb (Da Huang) is the key herb for Da Cheng Qi Tang, a formula used for Yang Excess
Yang Excess
Recommended herbal formula: Da Cheng Qi Tang
Urinary stones might be due to Yang Excess if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as .
The six herbal formulas that might help with urinary stones
Liu Yi San
Source date: 1172 AD
Number of ingredients: 2 herbs
Key actions: Clears Summer-Heat. Drains Dampness. Supplements Qi.
Why might Liu Yi San help with urinary stones?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help with the patterns Summer Heat and Damp-Heat in the Bladder which are sometimes associated with urinary stones. If any of these patterns look like something you might suffer from, this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Da Cheng Qi Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 4 herbs
Key actions: Purges Heat from the Stomach and Intestines. Relieves constipation.
Why might Da Cheng Qi Tang help with urinary stones?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help with the patterns Heat in Yang brightness Organs and Yang Excess which are sometimes associated with urinary stones. If any of these patterns look like something you might suffer from, this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Si Ni San
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 4 herbs
Key actions: Regulates Liver and Spleen. Eliminates Internal Heat.
Why might Si Ni San help with urinary stones?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat , a pattern sometimes associated with urinary stones. If it looks like you might suffer from , this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Dao Chi San
Source date: 1119 AD
Number of ingredients: 4 herbs
Key actions: Clears the Heart. Promotes urination.
Why might Dao Chi San help with urinary stones?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat , a pattern sometimes associated with urinary stones. If it looks like you might suffer from , this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Wu Lin San
Source date: 1107 AD
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Key actions: Clears heat. Cools the Blood. Promotes urination. Unblocks painful urinary dribbling.
Why might Wu Lin San help with urinary stones?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat , a pattern sometimes associated with urinary stones. If it looks like you might suffer from , this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Symptoms related to urinary stones
Fever Sweating Thirst Irritability Urinary difficulty Diarrhea Vomiting Painful urinary dribbling Stony painful urinary dribbling Severe constipation
