Kidneys Refusing to Receive Qi & Breathing Problems

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TCM syndromes rarely correspond to Western medical conditions. A few do like

the common cold & some cases of flu (Wind Cold), most cases of arthritis and

rheumatism (Bi Syndrome), heat exhaustion (Summer Heat Evil), and heat stroke

(Summer Heat Collapse Evil). Most do not.

 

In these other cases, any number of TCM syndromes may manifest as as a

particular Western medical problem. A good example of this is breathing

problems.

 

Sometimes the problem may be in the Lungs. But it also is common for the root

to be in the Kidneys or the Liver. Chinese medicine is very concerned with

identifying and treating roots instead of merely treating symptoms.

 

One of the first things you learn in TCM about breathing problems is to note if

exhalation or inhalation is more difficult for the person or if both are equally

difficult. In the case of the person having more problems breathing out

(exhalation) than in (inhalation), this points to an Excess problem. In cases

where the person has more problems breathing in than out, this usually points to

a Deficiency root.

 

One of the the root problems characterized by inhalation being more difficult

than exhalation is Kidneys Refusing to Receive Qi (or Kidneys Refusing to Grasp

Qi). This is a variation of Kidney Yang Deficiency. It also is a dysfunction of

the Kidneys Receiving Qi and a dysfunction of the realtionship between the

Kidneys and the Lungs.

 

Not all people who are Kidney Yang Deficient also suffer from Kidneys Refusing

to Receive Qi. This is a separate syndrome from Kidney Yang Deficiency even

though it is a variation of Kidney Yang Deficiency.

 

Another symptom of Kidneys Refusing to Receive Qi is that the person will tend

to have the most breathing problems at night, especially when lying down.

(Note: Phlegm accumulation also has the symptom of breathing being more

difficult when lying down than when sitting up. In TCM Phlegm has a special

meaning. It is not uncommon for someone to suffer from both Kidneys Refusing to

Receive Qi and Phlegm accumulation, though they don't necessarily have to occur

together.)

 

Other symptoms of Kidneys Refusing to Receive Qi can include " cough, asthma,

sweathing, cold limbs after seating, swelling of the face, ... mental

listlessness, clear urination during asthma attack, and soreness of the back. "

(Giovanni Maciocia, The Foundations of , p. 255) The tongue will

be pale and the pulse will tend to be Weak, Tight, and Deep.

 

What's happening is that the Kidneys are too weak to receive Qi and hold it

down. For this reason it's accumulating in the Lungs. Excess is building in the

Lungs because of a Deficiency in the Kidneys. The Lungs rule exhalation and the

Kidneys rule Inhalation, so inhalation will be more difficult in these cases

than breathing out. The energy that controls breating in is Deficient.

 

The Kidneys are the source of Yang energy in the entire body. Defensive Qi (Wei

Qi) is classified as being very Yang in nature. Hence, the cold sweats, cold

limbs, etc.

 

Soreness in the back is typical of any Kidney Imbalance. The edema is typical

of both Spleen and/or Kidney Yang Deficiency because these two systems play a

major role in fluids in the body. Kidney Yang Deficiency is characterized by

abundant, clear urine. This particular syndrome is characterized by the urine

being the most copious when the breathing problems are the worst. In extreme

cases the person may not be able to drink a half a cup of water before having to

go to the bathroom. Depending on the total picture and other syndromes which

may be present, over-active kidneys, edema, and dehydration may all be present

at the same time.

 

Maciocia gives the possible etiologies of Kidneys Refusing to Receive Qi as 1.

Hereditary weakness of Lungs and Kidneys, 2. a chronic and untreated or

improperly treated disease, especially if the disease comes from the Lungs, and

3. " Excessive physical exercise particularly during puberty and excessive

lifting and standing. " (p. 255)

 

His general guidelines for treatment are to tonify and warm the Kidneys,

" stimulate the Kidney function of reception of Qi, stimulate the Lung descending

function. " (p. 255)

 

Different acupuncturists have different points that they tend to use to treat

specific illnesses. These are the ones which Maciocia recommends. Other

acupunturists may recommend other points.

 

Kidney 3, Lung 7 and Kidney 6 in combination, Stomach 36, Bladder 23, Governing

Vessel 4, Conception Vessel 6, Conception Vessel 17, Kidney 25, Governing Vessel

12, and Kidney 7.

 

I want to go into more detail on why he's choosing these points and what they do

in another post. But first I want mention some other helpful points.

 

Some people don't have the option of seeing an acupuncturist. Either there's

not one in the area where they live, or they need one during the night. There

are other points in addition to these which can help via acupressure. Obviously,

if the person is having severe breathing problems, the person needs to go to the

emergency room. But, in some cases acupressure can relieve breathing problems.

 

Two other points which can be helpful are Kidney 27 and Lung 1. I'll be going

into these in a separate post.

 

Victoria

 

 

 

 

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