Frequent 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.
Frequent urination can be the consequence of several so-called “patterns of disharmony” in Chinese Medicine.
Chinese Medicine sees the body as a system, not a sum of isolated parts. A "pattern" is when the system's harmony is disrupted, leading to symptoms or signs that something is wrong (like frequent urination here). It is similar to the concept of disease in Western Medicine but not quite: a Western disease can often be explained by several Chinese patterns and vice-versa.
A pattern often manifests itself in a combination of symptoms that, at first glance, do not seem necessarily related to each others. For instance here frequent urination is often associated with loose stools, feeling of cold and fatigue in the pattern “Yang Deficiency or Empty Yang”. As you will see below, we have in record five patterns that can cause frequent urination.
Once identified, patterns are treated using medicinal herbs, acupuncture, and other therapies. In the case of frequent urination we’ve identified five herbal formulas that may help treat patterns behind the symptom.
We’ve also selected below the five medicinal herbs that we think are most likely to help treat frequent urination.
The five "patterns of disharmony" that can cause frequent urination
In Chinese Medicine frequent urination is a symptom for 5 patterns that we have on record. Below is a small explanation for each of them with links for more details.
Prepared Rehmannia (Shu Di huang) is the king ingredient for Ba Wei Di Huang Wan, a formula used for Yang Deficiency or Empty Yang
Yang Deficiency or Empty Yang
Pulse type(s): Deep (Chen), Empty (Xu), Slow (Chi), Weak (Ruo)
Tongue color: Pale
Yang Deficiency is an Empty-Cold condition characterized by Coldness and Deficiency. It can cause a general hypoactivity of Organ functions and Oedema. Qi and Blood is more likely to stagnate. Yang Deficiency is mostly related to Spleen Yang, Kidney Yang, Heart Yang or Lung Qi. It is a result of lack of activity or exercise, excessive sex, over-exposure to cold environments and bad diet.
In addition to frequent urination, other symptoms associated with Yang Deficiency or Empty Yang include loose stools, feeling of cold and fatigue.
Yang Deficiency or Empty Yang is often treated with Ba Wei Di Huang Wan, a herbal formula made of 8 herbs (including Prepared Rehmannia - Shu Di huang - as a key herb). Ba Wei Di Huang Wan belongs to the category of "formulas that nourish yin and tonify", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Tonifies Yang".
Ginseng (Ren Shen) is the king ingredient for Si Jun Zi Tang, a formula used for Qi Deficiency
Qi Deficiency
Pulse type(s): Empty (Xu), Weak (Ruo)
Tongue color: Pale
Qi Deficiency simply means lack of Qi. It includes the lack of Original Qi, Nutritive Qi, Defensive Qi or the Qi that resides in Organs or Channels. It mainly manifests itself in a weakened function of Organs and a declining ability of the body to resist diseases.
In addition to frequent urination, other symptoms associated with Qi Deficiency include dizziness, loose stools and fatigue.
From a Western Medicine standpoint Qi Deficiency is associated with health issues such as Abnormal Uterine Bleeding or Heavy Menstruation.
Qi Deficiency is often treated with Si Jun Zi Tang, a herbal formula made of 4 herbs (including Ginseng - Ren Shen - as a key herb). Si Jun Zi Tang belongs to the category of "formulas that tonify qi", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Tonifies Qi".
The Kidneys is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Kidneys in Chinese Medicine
Kidney Yang Deficiency
Pulse type(s): Deep (Chen), Slow (Chi)
Tongue coating: Thin white coating
Tongue color: Pale
Tongue shape: Swollen
Kidney Yang Deficiency causes Internal Cold and weakness.
In addition to frequent urination, other symptoms associated with Kidney Yang Deficiency include dizziness, loose stools and tinnitus.
From a Western Medicine standpoint Kidney Yang Deficiency is associated with health issues such as Late Menstruation, Menopausal Syndrome or Irregular Menstruation.
Kidney Yang Deficiency is often treated with Ba Wei Di Huang Wan, a herbal formula made of 8 herbs (including Prepared Rehmannia - Shu Di huang - as a key herb). Ba Wei Di Huang Wan belongs to the category of "formulas that nourish yin and tonify", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Tonifies Yang".
The Kidneys is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Kidneys in Chinese Medicine
Kidney Qi Deficiency
Pulse type(s): Weak (Ruo)
Characterised by frequent urination as the most distinguishing symptom. Kidney Qi Deficiency can be a precursor of Heart Qi Deficiency.
In addition to frequent urination, other symptoms associated with Kidney Qi Deficiency include dizziness, tinnitus and back pain.
Kidney Qi Deficiency is often treated with Qing E Wan, a herbal formula made of 3 herbs (including Eucommia Bark - Du Zhong - as a key herb). Qing E Wan belongs to the category of "formulas that warm yang and tonify", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Warms and Reinforces Kidney Yang".
Milkvetch Roots (Huang Qi) is the king ingredient for Huang Qi Jian Zhong Tang, a formula used for Empty-Cold
Empty-Cold
Pulse type(s): Deep (Chen), Slow (Chi), Weak (Ruo)
In addition to frequent urination, other symptoms associated with Empty-Cold include dizziness, loose stools and feeling of cold.
Empty-Cold is often treated with Huang Qi Jian Zhong Tang, a herbal formula made of 7 herbs (including Milkvetch Roots - Huang Qi - as a key herb). Huang Qi Jian Zhong Tang belongs to the category of "formulas that warm the middle and dispel cold", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Warms and tonifies the Middle Burner (Spleen and Stomach)".
Five herbal formulas that might help with frequent urination
You Gui Wan
Source date: 1624 AD
Number of ingredients: 10 herbs
Key actions: Warms and tonifies Kidney Yang. Replenishes the Essence. Tonifies the Blood.
Why might You Gui Wan help with frequent urination?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Yang Deficiency or Empty Yang' of which frequent urination is a symptom.
Si Jun Zi Tang
Source date: 1107 AD
Number of ingredients: 4 herbs
Key actions: Tonifies Qi. Strengthens the Spleen and Stomach.
Why might Si Jun Zi Tang help with frequent urination?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Qi Deficiency' of which frequent urination is a symptom.
Ba Wei Di Huang Wan
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 8 herbs
Key actions: Tonifies Yang. Warms the Kidneys and lower extremities.
Why might Ba Wei Di Huang Wan help with frequent urination?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Kidney Yang Deficiency' of which frequent urination is a symptom.
Qing E Wan
Why might Qing E Wan help with frequent urination?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Kidney Qi Deficiency' of which frequent urination is a symptom.
Huang Qi Jian Zhong Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 7 herbs
Key actions: Warms and tonifies the Middle Burner (Spleen and Stomach). Tonifies Qi. Relieves spasmodic pain.
Why might Huang Qi Jian Zhong Tang help with frequent urination?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Empty-Cold' of which frequent urination is a symptom.
Acupuncture points used for frequent urination
The five Chinese Medicinal herbs most likely to help treat frequent urination
Why might Prepared Aconite (Zhi Fu Zi) help with frequent urination?
Because Prepared Aconite is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat frequent urination as a symptom, like You Gui Wan or Si Ni Tang for instance.
Prepared Aconite is a Hot herb that tastes Pungent and Sweet. It targets the Heart, the Kidney and the Spleen.
Its main actions are: Raises the collapse of Yang. Warms the meridians and relieves pain caused by Cold. Reduces Damp caused by Deficiency in Yang.
Why might Prepared Rehmannia (Shu Di Huang) help with frequent urination?
Because it is a key herb in Ba Wei Di Huang Wan, a herbal formula indicated to treat the pattern 'Yang Deficiency or Empty Yang' (a pattern with frequent urination as a symptom)
Prepared Rehmannia is a Warm herb that tastes Sweet. It targets the Kidney and the Liver.
Its main actions are: Tonifies the Blood. Tonifies the Yin of the Kidneys.
Why might Cinnamon Bark (Rou Gui) help with frequent urination?
Because it is a key herb in You Gui Wan, a herbal formula indicated to treat the pattern 'Yang Deficiency or Empty Yang' (a pattern with frequent urination as a symptom)
Cinnamon Bark is a Hot herb that tastes Pungent and Sweet. It targets the Heart, the Kidney, the Liver and the Spleen.
Its main actions are: Warms the Spleen and Kidneys and tonifies the Yang. Expels Cold, Warms the meridians, promotes circulation of Qi and Blood and relieves pain. Used with tonics to assist in the generation of Qi and Blood.
Why might Deer Antler Glue (Lu Jiao Jiao) help with frequent urination?
Because it is a key herb in You Gui Wan, a herbal formula indicated to treat the pattern 'Yang Deficiency or Empty Yang' (a pattern with frequent urination as a symptom)
Deer Antler Glue is a Warm herb that tastes Salty and Sweet. It targets the Kidney and the Liver.
Its main actions are: Yang tonification of the Kidneys and Liver, and to nourish vital Essence and Blood
Why might Cornelian Cherry (Shan Zhu Yu) help with frequent urination?
Because it is a key herb in Ba Wei Di Huang Wan, a herbal formula indicated to treat the pattern 'Yang Deficiency or Empty Yang' (a pattern with frequent urination as a symptom)
Cornelian Cherries is a Warm herb that tastes Sour. It targets the Kidney and the Liver.
Its main actions are: Preserves and tonifies the Kidney, Liver and Essence. Stops sweating and benefits the Yang and Qi. Assists menstruation and stops bleeding.
Other symptoms often associated with frequent urination
Dizziness Loose stools Tinnitus Feeling of cold Fatigue Cold limbs Poor appetite Depression Scanty periods Back pain