Acupuncture for Urinary Disorders - Treatment 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
    • 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:
  • Blood Lin
  • 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:
  • 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:

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
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