Urinary infection is the common name of pyelonephritis,
cystitis and urethritis. The urinary infection is caused by bacteria, and it is
common among females (especially among pregnant women). The main clinical symptoms
are fever, lumbago, frequent micturition, urgent urination, urodynia, etc. According
to the symptoms, urinary infection falls into two kinds: acute and chronic cases.
Most of the acute infections may be cured, but a small number of the cases will
become protracted and recurrent, which eventually develop into chronic state due
to various causes. In the final state of the decease it can lead to a renal insufficiency.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) urinary infections are included in two categories:
"strangury" and "lumbago." In the chronic urinary infections
there are more complex pathogenesis and different clinical manifestations. The
one with remarkable symptoms due to deficiency such as edema, acratia and emaciation
should be included in the syndromes of "edema" and "consumptive
disease" of TCM.
Etiology and Pathogenesis
Because of eating
too much food, which is pungent and sweet in flavour, and hot and fatty in nature;
or because of excessive drinking [NOTE: this means usually alcoholic beverages;
this can be stated also; or because of excessive drinking of water], damp-heat
is led to flow downward into the urinary bladder. Because of the low orifices
are unclean, dirty and turbid pathogens seize the opportunity to invade the urinary
bladder; a damp-heat is formed; and because of damp-heat is accumulated in the
lower-warmer, the qi of the urinary bladder fails to perform its function normally.
In this case there will be urgent urination, frequent micturition and urodynia.
If the disease is protracted, both the spleen and kidney will become weakened,
and in turn, syndromes due to both deficiency and excess will be brought about.
Type and Treatment
1. Type of Damp-Heat in the Urinary Bladder (usually
seen in acute urinary infection)
Symptoms: Fever, aversion to cold, frequent
micturition , urgent urination, urodynia, distending pain in the low abdomen,
lumbago, yellow greasy tongue coating, and slippery rapid pulse.
Therapeutic
Method: Clearing away heat, removing toxic material and inducing diuresis to treat
strangury.
Prescription: Shiwei Tonglin Fang (Pyrrosia Leaf Recipe for Treating
Strangury).
Ingredients:
Shiwei Folium Pyrrosiae
Bianxu Herbal polygoni
Avicularis
Qumai Herba Dian Thi
Dahuang Radix et Rhizoma Rhei
Danzhuye
Herba Lophatheri
Baimaogen Rhizoma Imperatae
Cheqianzi Semen Plantaginis
(decocted after being wrapped in a piece of cloth)
Huashi Talcum
Kuncao
Herba Leonuri
Gancao Radix Glycyrrhizae
Administration: Decocted in water
for oral use, 1 dose daily.
Modification: In case of more severe chills and
fever, bitter taste, nausea and vomiting, the drugs added are Chaihu Radix Bupleuri,
Banxia Rhizoma Pinelliae and Huangqin Radix Scutellariae.
If the number of
pus cells fails to be reduced and the tongue coating is yellow and greasy, the
herbs added are Pugongying Herbal Taraxaci, Tufuling Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae.
In case of hematuria, the herbs added are Xiaoji Herbal Cirii, Shendi Radix
Rehmanniae and Oujie Nodus Nelumbinis Rhizoma.
Simple Prescription 1
Pugongying
Herba Taraxaci
Decocted in water for oral use.
Simple Prescription 2
Xianshuweigen
Radix Pyrrosiae
Cleaned, pounded and then decocted in water to get thick decoction
for oral use.
Proven Prescription 1
Ingredients:
Diding Herba Violae
Cheqianzi Semen Plantaginis
Administration: Decocted in water for oral
use.
Proven Prescription 2
Ingredients
Shuanghua Flos Lonicerae
Maogen
Rhizoma Imperatae
Kuncao Herba Lonicerae
Cheqiancao Herb Plantaginis
Zhuye
Herba Lophatheri
Administration: Decocted in water for oral use.
2. Type
of Retention of Damp-heat due to Insufficiency of the Kidney-Yin (usually seen
in chronic urinary infection).
Symptoms: Dizziness, tinnitus, soreness and
weakness of the loins and knees, dry throat and lips, low fever, mild or severe
frequent and urgent urination and urodynia, reddish tongue with thin coating,
and taut thready rapid pulse.
Therapeutic Method: Nourishing Yin, invigorating
the kidney, clearing away heat and descending fire.
Prescription: Modified
Zhi Bai Dihuang. Tang (Decoction of Anemarrhena, Phellodendron and Rehmannia).
Ingredients:
Shengdi Radix Rehmanniae
Shanyao Rhizoma Dioscroeae
Shanyurou
Fructus Corni
Danpi Cortex Moutan
Fuling Poria
Zexie Rhizoma Alismatis
Zhimu Rhizoma Anemarrhenae
Huangbai Cortex Phellodendri
Shiwei Herba
Pyrrosiae
Danzhuye Herba Lophatheri
Administration: Decocted in water
for oral use, 1 dose daily.
3. Type of Deficiency of Both the Spleen and Kidneys,
and Weakened Body Resistance and Retention of Pathogens (usually seen in chronic
pyelonephritis)
Symptoms: Edema of the face and feet, listlessness, acratia,
soreness and weakness of the loins and knees, dizziness, tinnitus, anorexia, distension
of the abdomen, loose stools, frequent and dribbling urination, pale tongue with
thin white coating, and deep thready weak pulse.
Therapeutic Method: Strengthening
the spleen, invigorating the kidney, clearing way heat and inducing diuresis.
Prescription: Wubi Shanyao Wan (Incomparable Pill of Chinese Yam).
Ingredients:
Shanyao Rhizoma Dioscoreae
Fuling Poria
Zexie Rhizoma Alismatis
Shudi
Radix Rehmanniae Preparata
Shanyurou Fructus Corni
Bajitian Radix Morindae
Officinalis
Tusizi Semen Cuscutae
Duzhong Cortex Eucommiae
Niuxi Radix
Achyarn this Bidentatae
Wuweizi Fructus Schisandrae
Roucongrong Herba
Cistanches
Chishizhi Halloysitum Rubrum
Administration: decocted in water
for oral use, 1 dose daily.
Dr. Ming's TCM Medical Center,
Hua Xi Xiao Yuan,
Hutian Developing Area,
Huaihua city, Hunan province
China