Acupuncture for Urinary Disorders - Treatment Protocols

Acu Protocols

Below you will find some of the more common tcm diagnoses and acupuncture treatment protocols for urinary disorders (also known as "lin disease" in tcm theory). There are many ways to treat this condition with Eastern Medicine and our presentation is only one of many possible options.

• Differentiation - 5 Types of Lin Disease:
  • Qi Lin
  • Blood Lin
  • Damp Lin
  • Stone Lin
  • Fatigue Lin
• Qi Lin
  • Signs & Symptoms:
    • Interrupted a/or stagnant urination, distention and pain in the hypogastrium
    • Tongue: Thin white coat, possibly a little purplish
    • Pulse: Deep, wiry or Firm
  • Treatment Points:
    • Valaskatagis Point Selection:
    • LV 3 - move LV Qi
    • LV 5 a/or LV 8 - clear damp-heat
    • CV 3 - move Qi in the hypogastric area
    • ST 30 - resolve stagnation in the urethra
    • UB 63 - xi-cleft point
    • PC 6 - resolve stagnation
    • CV 5 - TH Mu, resolve stagnation
    • If severe genital pain - CV 2
• Blood Lin
  • Signs & Symptoms:
    • Burning urination w/Blood, women may have these symptoms with urinary tract infections
    • Tongue: Yellow coat
    • Pulse: Rapid
  • Treatment Points:
    • Valaskatagis Point Selection:
    • UB 27 - SI Shu, clear heat from the SI
    • SI 2 - water point, clear heat from the SI
    • HT 8 - clear heat from the HT
    • UB 28 - UB Shu
    • CV 3 - clear excess in the lower abdomen
    • SP 6 - move Blood in the lower abdomen
    • SP 9 - clear damp
    • SP 10 - clear heat in the Blood
    • UB 17 - hui meeting of the Blood
    • UB 22 - TH Shu, clear heat from the UB
• Damp Lin
  • Signs & Symptoms:
    • 2 general differentiations, damp-heat (clear heat, resolve damp) and damp w/KD Yin Deficiency (tonify KD Yin, resolve damp)
    • Turbid obstructed urination w/pain a/or burning, many times related to a urinary tract infection
    • Tongue: Red w/greasy coat
    • Pulse: Thin, rapid
  • Treatment Points:
    • Valaskatagis Point Selection:
    • Damp-Heat Treatment
    • SP 6 - tonify SP
    • SP 9 - resolve damp
    • CV 12 - ST Mu, tonify ST/SP
    • CV 3 - clear excess from lower abdomen
    • UB 22 - TH Shu
    • UB 28 - UB Shu
    • Damp w/KD Yin Deficiency
    • KD 6 - tonify KD Yin
    • KD 3 - tonify KD
    • CV 4 - tonify Yin
    • SP 9 - resolve damp
    • UB 22 - TH Shu
    • UB 28 - UB Shu
• Stone Lin
  • Signs & Symptoms:
    • Obstructed dark yellow urination w/small stones a/or gravel discharge, severe pain in the hypogastrium a/or low back
    • Tongue: Yellow coat possibly a little greasy
    • Pulse: Deep, wiry, rapid
  • Treatment Points:
    • Valaskatagis Point Selection:
    • UB 39 - lower he sea, resolves stagnation causing urinary issues
    • KD 2 - clear KD heat
    • SP 6 - clear damp from lower warmer
    • SP 9 - resolve damp
    • CV 3 - clear excess in lower abdomen
    • UB 28 - UB Shu, clear UB heat
    • CV 12 - ST Mu, tonify ST/SP
    • UB 20 - SP Shu
    • Acute Passing of a Stone
    • Use electrical stimulation from UB 23 to GB 25 (Shu/Mu Combination) on the side of the pain, higher frequency works best
    • You can use CV 4 w/SP 6 to help relax the ureter
• Fatigue Lin
  • Signs & Symptoms:
    • Incomplete urination (i.e. starts and stops) with an urge to urinate upon exertion a/or when fatigued, may show up in men with englarged prostates or in women with mild bladder prolapses
    • Tongue: Pale, swollen w/greasy coat, possibly yellow
    • Pulse: Thin, weak
  • Treatment Points:
    • Valaskatagis Point Selection:
    • CV 6 - tonify Qi
    • SP 6 - tonify SP
    • KD 3 - tonify KD
    • CV 4 - tonify KD
    • SP 9 - resolve damp
    • UB 20 - SP Shu
    • UB 23 - KD Shu
    • With severe deficiencies (w/o high blood pressure) - GV 20 w/moxa to raise the Qi

The information on our site is drawn from our own lecture notes and clinical experience. The following lecture notes were consulted within this section:

• St. John, Meredith: New England School of Acupuncture, Etiology and Pathology Lecture Notes
• Valaskatgis, Peter: New England School of Acupuncture, Etiology and Pathology Lecture Notes