Renal scarring as Blood Stasis and Qi Stagnation

[Guest guest]

This is a post for the healthcare professionals on the list.

 

" 3. A long-term urinary tracct infection scars the renal pelvis.

(This can often be seen in an x-ray.) Bacteria may populate the area

around the scar tissue where it is difficult for antibiotics to

penetrate. Once the antibiotics are withdrawn, the remaining bacteria

may become ative leading to a recurrence. Scarrying is equivalent to

qi stagnation and blood stasis, and, in this case, one may need to

rectify the qi, quicken the blood, and dispel stasis as well as clear

and eliminate dampness and heat and supplement any underlying vacuity. "

 

The authors also state in the footnotes at the end of the chapter:

 

" 5. Patients with chronic strangury often have patterns of blood

stasis. (This includes scarring of the renal pelvis.) In these

cases, flushing out the kidney/bladder may be ineffective, and the

prolonged use of water-disinbhibing dampness-percolating medicinals

may damage yin. " (Clinical Nephrology in , Wei Li and

David Frierman with Ben Luna and Bob Flaws, p. 172.)

 

This information is from the chapter on UTIs (Urinary Tract

Infections). " Flushing " the kidneys and bladder (and its TCM

equivalents) frequently are recommended in allopathic medicine for

UTIs and for stones or gravel, and in TCM for strangury. BUT in cases

where there is scarring, flushing not only may not work very well but

also may damage the Yin in time.

 

In treating urinary disorders, healers will want to be well-acquainted

with cautions and contraindications concerning various herbs and

formulas. For example, when it comes to herbs and formulas that

promote urination, these are subclassified according to strength.

Mild, medium, and drastic. There are certain urinary disorders in

which the mild herbs and formulas are recommended, there are cautions

to using the medium ones, and the ones with drastic action should not

be used.

 

Herbs and formulas that move Blood also are subclassified according to

strength. Again, healers will want to pay attention to the

recommendations and the cautions and contraindications for specific

urinary problems. In addition to the strength of the herb and formula,

healers also need to keep in mind that Blood invigoration herbs - like

those that move Qi - can result in loss of Qi. This can be an

especially important consideration when it comes to chronic vs. acute.

Acute urinary problems usually are primarily Excess problems. (For

example, Damp Heat that has invaded from the environment or arises

because of wrong diet.) Chronic problems often have as their Roots

Deficiency problems. (For example, the Dampness is arising because the

Spleen Qi is too weak to move and transform fluids properly.)