Liver Qi Stagnation - Frequent Urination

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Five TCM syndromes which can manifest with frequent urination are

Urinary Badder Damp Heat, Kidney Yin Deficiency, Failing Kidney

Consolidation (Kidney Yang Deficiency), Lung and Spleen Qi

Deficiency, and Liver Qi Blockage.

 

Liver Qi Blockage:

 

" Frequently worsened by stress, and characterized by an unfinished

feeling after voiding accompanied by typical symptoms of Liver qi

blockage such as discomfort in the flanks and subcostal region,

emotional tension and stress, anger, burping and flatulence,

abdominal bloating, purplish tinge to the tongue body, and a wiry

pulse. " (Fluid Physiology and Pathology in Traditional Chinese

Medicine, Steven Clavey, p. 95.)

 

The unfinished feeling as well as the symptoms of possible Liver

imbalance such as anger and discomfort in hte subcostal region are

keys to recognizing Liver Qi Stagnation as a cause of frequent

urination. However, Liver Qi Stagnation may be combined with one or

more of the other symdromes which also manifest as frequent urination.

 

" Liver qi blockage causing frequency. This very common condition is

relatively easy to identify, associated as it is with anxiety and

other Liver symptoms. The difficulty occurs when it is combined with

any of the other pathologies above. In that case one must

differentiate the degree to which Liver qi blockage is contributing

to the frequency, and this can be done by determining the degree to

which the frequency is worsened by stress. Stress will inhibit the

flow of qi in the Liver channel, which will in turn impede the

circulation of normal qi throughout the lower Jiao, and thus

exacerbate any other pathology occurring in the area. " (p. 97.)

 

The Lower Jiao (aka Lower Burner, aka Lower Heater, aka Lower Warmer)

includes the Kidneys and the Bladder. The Liver channel runs right

by the genital area of the body. One of the more common causes of

frequent urination is Spleen and Lung Qi Deficiency. One of the

functions of Qi is to hold things in or in their places when proper -

things like sweat, urine, feces, Blood, etc. Some of the symptoms of

Qi Deficiency include excessive sweating, excessive urination,

diarrhea, and easy brusing. (The latter is a condition called Spleen

Failing to Control Blood. Because of the lack of Qi and the Spleen

weakness, the Blood easily " leaks " out of vessels into tissues.

Note: Spleen Unable to Control Blood is not the only cause of

excessive bleeding. Spleen and Qi Deficiency are characterized by

what I call " leaks " .)

 

If the Qi is unable to get to an area - as in the case of Liver Qi

blockage - this sets up a condition of localized Qi Deficiency. Even

if the person is not Spleen Qi Deficient, the Lower Jiao (or other

parts of the body) can be Qi Deficient because the Qi is not getting

to them. But if the person already is Qi Deficient, Liver Qi

Blockage can exacerbate the Qi Deficiency symptoms in particular

areas. What little Qi there is is not getting to a particular area.

(Note: Liver Qi Blockage is not the only possible reason why a

localized area of the body - like the Heart or Kidneys - can be Qi

Deficient even though the Spleen and Lungs are ok and the person does

not suffer from an overall Qi Deficiency. (The Spleen and the Lungs

are the two Organs most responsible for Qi in the body.)

 

Treatment of Liver Qi Blockage:

 

" Treatment requires freeing the flow of Liver qi (in addition, of

course, to dealing with any other pathologies which may be involved)

with a formula such as Xiao Yao San ('Rambling Powder') plus Wu Yao

(Linderae Strychnifoliae, Radix). " (p. 97)

 

Victoria