Kidneys Control the Two Lower Orifices

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This is a post primarily for the beginning students on the list.

 

First some review: TCM Organs are not equivalent to anatomical

organs, hence the capitalization of TCM Organs. TCM Organs are

collections of functions.

 

Textbooks like Giovanni Maciocia's The Foundations of Chinese

Medicine have sections devoted to the functions of the the different

Organs. TCM physiology. I want to talk about one of the functions

of the Kidneys - controls the two lower orifices - because this is

one that often gets overlooked.

 

The two lower orifices are the urethra (and " spermatic duct in men " )

(the front orifice) and the anus (rear orifice). (p. 98.) No doubt

by now you've learned that Qi (pronounced " chee " , roughly though

inadequately translated as " energy " ) controls a lot of the openings

and closings in the body - pores, splinters, etc. And that one of

the symptoms of Qi Deficiency is what I call " leaks " - excessive

sweating, urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, etc.

 

Diarrhea often is associated with Spleen Qi Deficiency. And some

cases of what Al Stone calls " Leaky Butt Syndrome " may be due to

Spleen Qi Deficiency. " Leaky Butt " isn't diarrhea per se but leakage

of intestinal fluids with waste material and mucus. But the cases

very likely are due to Kidney Qi Deficiency. If you run across a

case where this problem isn't being helped by the usual Qi tonic and

Spleen tonic herbs, chances are it's due to Kidney Qi Deficiency.

Since the Kidneys produce Kidney Qi, the problem isn't going to

clear up until the Kidneys are strenghtened. This usually involves

supplementing Kidney Yang, Kidney Yin, and/or Kidney Jing (Essence)

because the heating action of Kidney Yang on Kidney Yin and Jing

produces Kidney Qi. The Kidneys supply Qi to the Bladder.

 

Suspect and rule in or rule out weak Kidneys and Kidney Qi

Deficiency in cases of " urinary incontinence, spermatorrhoea and

diarrhoea " and Leaky Butt Syndrome. (p. 98.) There may also be

prolapse of the anus. (p. 98.) Prolapse of the anus (as well as

various organs) also can be due to Spleen Qi Sinking.

 

How Kidney Qi is produced is one of those important knowledge

building blocks that enable students to better understand the

Kidneys and what they do from a TCM standpoint later on.

 

Yang warms, activates, and dries. Yin cools, calms, and moistens.

 

Urinary incontinence as well as spermatorrhea problems or LBS

problems often develop or become much worse during cold weather

because cold attacks not only Yang (the heat of which is needed for

the production of Kidney Qi) but also the Kidneys which are

particularly vulnerable to cold.

 

Note: The kidneys can be fine or nearly fine from a Western anatomy

and physiology standpoint, but the Kidneys can be imbalanced. It

happened to me. According to Western anatomy and physiology

criteria, my kidneys were fine - one of the few things that I didn't

have wrong with me most of the time. But from a TCM standpoint, my

Kidneys were by far the most serious problem I had.

 

Likewise, Western blood tests can be normal, but by TCM criteria

there is something wrong with the Blood. Blood - like Organs - are

not equivalent to the Western anatomy terms.