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 retention 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 urinary retention 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 urinary retention is often associated with low-grade fever, night sweats and five palm heat in the pattern “Collapse of Yin”. As you will see below, we have in record three patterns that can cause urinary retention.
Once identified, patterns are treated using medicinal herbs, acupuncture, and other therapies. In the case of urinary retention we’ve identified four 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 urinary retention.
The three "patterns of disharmony" that can cause urinary retention
In Chinese Medicine urinary retention is a symptom for 3 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 Da Bu Yin Wan, a formula used for Collapse of Yin
Collapse of Yin
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu), Fine (Xi)
In addition to urinary retention, other symptoms associated with Collapse of Yin include low-grade fever, night sweats and five palm heat.
Collapse of Yin is often treated with Da Bu Yin Wan, a herbal formula made of 4 herbs (including Prepared Rehmannia - Shu Di huang - as a key herb). Da Bu Yin 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: "Enriches the Yin".
Water Plantain (Ze Xie) is the king ingredient for Wu Ling San, a formula used for Greater Yang Accumulation of Water
Greater Yang Accumulation of Water
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu), Floating (Fu)
In addition to urinary retention, other symptoms associated with Greater Yang Accumulation of Water include aversion to cold, fever and vomiting of fluids soon after drinking.
Greater Yang Accumulation of Water is often treated with Wu Ling San, a herbal formula made of 5 herbs (including Water Plantain - Ze Xie - as a key herb). Wu Ling San belongs to the category of "formulas that promote urination and leach out dampness", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Promotes urination,".
The Triple Burner is a so-called "Fu" Organ. Learn more about the Triple Burner in Chinese Medicine
Damp-Heat in the Lower Burner
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu), Slippery (Hua)
Tongue coating: Sticky coating
In addition to urinary retention, other symptoms associated with Damp-Heat in the Lower Burner include scanty and dark urine, painful urination and dry mouth.
Damp-Heat in the Lower Burner is often treated with Er Miao San, a herbal formula made of 2 herbs (including Phellodendron Bark - Huang Bo - as a key herb). Er Miao San belongs to the category of "formulas that expel dampness", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Expels Dampness from the Lower Burner".
Four herbal formulas that might help with urinary retention
Da Bu Yin Wan
Source date: 1481 AD
Number of ingredients: 4 herbs
Key actions: Enriches the Yin. Directs fire downward.
Why might Da Bu Yin Wan help with urinary retention?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Collapse of Yin' of which urinary retention is a symptom.
Other symptoms characteristic of Collapse Of Yin include low-grade fever, night sweats and five palm heat.
Er Miao San
Source date: 1481 AD
Number of ingredients: 2 herbs
Key actions: Expels Dampness from the Lower Burner. Drains Heat from the Lower Burner.
Why might Er Miao San help with urinary retention?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Damp-Heat in the Lower Burner' of which urinary retention is a symptom.
Other symptoms characteristic of Damp-Heat In The Lower Burner include scanty and dark urine, painful urination and dry mouth.
Wu Ling San
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Key actions: Promotes urination,. Warms the Yang. Strengthens the Spleen. Promotes Qi transformation function. Drains Dampness. Clears edema.
Why might Wu Ling San help with urinary retention?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Greater Yang Accumulation of Water' of which urinary retention is a symptom.
Other symptoms characteristic of Greater Yang Accumulation Of Water include aversion to cold, fever and vomiting of fluids soon after drinking.
Ba Zheng San
Source date: 1107 AD
Number of ingredients: 9 herbs
Key actions: Clears Heat and Fire. Promotes urination. Unblocks painful urinary dribbling.
Why might Ba Zheng San help with urinary retention?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Damp-Heat in the Lower Burner' of which urinary retention is a symptom.
Other symptoms characteristic of Damp-Heat In The Lower Burner include scanty and dark urine, painful urination and dry mouth.
Acupuncture points used for urinary retention
The five Chinese Medicinal herbs most likely to help treat urinary retention
Why might Phellodendron Bark (Huang Bo) help with urinary retention?
Because Phellodendron Bark is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat urinary retention as a symptom, like Da Bu Yin Wan or Er Miao San for instance.
Phellodendron Bark is a Cold herb that tastes Bitter. It targets the Bladder, the Kidney and the Large intestine.
Its main actions are: Expels Damp-Heat in the Lower Burner. Clears Kidney Yin Deficient Heat. Applied externally or toxic Fire, especially associated with Dampness.
Why might Knotgrass (Bian Xu) help with urinary retention?
Because it is a key herb in Ba Zheng San, a herbal formula indicated to treat the pattern 'Damp-Heat in the Lower Burner' (a pattern with urinary retention as a symptom)
Knotgrass is a Cool herb that tastes Bitter and Sweet. It targets the Bladder.
Its main actions are: Expels Damp-Heat and encourages urination. Drains Dampness and stops itching. Kills parasites.
Why might Prepared Rehmannia (Shu Di Huang) help with urinary retention?
Because it is a key herb in Da Bu Yin Wan, a herbal formula indicated to treat the pattern 'Collapse of Yin' (a pattern with urinary retention 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 Water Plantain (Ze Xie) help with urinary retention?
Because it is a key herb in Wu Ling San, a herbal formula indicated to treat the pattern 'Greater Yang Accumulation of Water' (a pattern with urinary retention as a symptom)
Water Plantain is a Cold herb that tastes Sweet. It targets the Bladder and the Kidney.
Its main actions are: Causes urination and removes Damp-Heat
Why might Chinese Pink Herb (Qu Mai) help with urinary retention?
Because it is a key herb in Ba Zheng San, a herbal formula indicated to treat the pattern 'Damp-Heat in the Lower Burner' (a pattern with urinary retention as a symptom)
Chinese Pink Herbs is a Cold herb that tastes Bitter. It targets the Bladder, the Heart and the Small intestine.
Its main actions are: Encourages urination and expels Damp-Heat. Dissolves Blood Stasis and assists blocked menstruation.
Other symptoms often associated with urinary retention
Scanty and dark urine Painful urination Dry mouth Dry throat Lower abdominal pain Low-grade fever Night sweats Five palm heat Malar flush Emaciation