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Nephropyelitis

1. Overview and Causes
2. Symptoms
3. TCM Effectiveness and Evaluation
4. Common Syndromes and Treatments in TCM
  a. Damp-heat in the Lower Jiao
  b. Qi stagnation
  c. Deficiency of spleen and kidney
  d. Kidney Yin Deficiency
5. Healing by Other Therapies
  a. Qigong and other
  b. Medicated diet
  c. Life style
6. Psychological Adaptation


1. Overview and Causes

Nephropyelitis (pyelonephritis) is a urinary infection in Western diseases. The kidney and the pelvis (funnel-like part of the kidney) are basically inflammed. There are two types of Nephropyelitis, acute and chronic. Most acute infections may be cured; however, some may be protracted and recurrent and develop into chronic infections. In the end, kidney function may be decreased. This disease is caused by bacteria, esp. "E-coli" and sometimes this disease is a complication of pregnancy. Traditional Chinese Medicine includes this disease under the category “Lin (stranguria) Syndrome” or “Lumbago” etc., which is usually caused by damp-heat flowing downward in acute period, or stagnation of Qi and blood or deficiency of spleen and kidney in chronic cases.

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2. Symptoms

(a) Acute nephropyelitis usually presents with fever, frequent, urgent, burning or dripping urination, or with stone, blood or pus, etc.
(b) Chronic urinary infection may prsent with low grade fever, mild low back pain, frequent but slow urination, the urine may be cloudy.

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3. TCM Effectiveness and Evaluation

Traditional Chinese Medicine is effective in treating this disease. Its advantage: effectively controls the infection with few side effects, increases body resistance by various methods. The clinical cure rate for acute nephropyelitis is 75-80%, chronic nephropyelitis is 55-75%. The recurrence rate is 15.7% according to reports from China.

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4. Common Syndromes and Treatments in TCM

This ailment, according to TCM, has different syndromes. The treatment for these syndromes using herbal medicine and acupuncture is shown below.

Syndrome (a)
Damp-heat in the Lower Jiao

Fever, aversion to cold, frequent urgent urination with burning sensation, cramps in the lower abdomen, yellow greasy tongue coating and slippery rapid pulse. The urine may be with stone (stone Lin syndrome), or cloudy (Gao Lin syndrome), or with blood (blood Lin syndrome) or with severe stabbing pain (Heat Lin syndrome), etc.

To treat by Herbal medicine
Therapeutic principle: Clearing away heat, removing dampness to free difficulty in urination.

Prescription/Formula: Eight Righting Powders (Ba Zheng San) Dianthus (qu mai) 10g, knotgrass (bian xu) 10g, Plantago seed (che qian zi) 10g, mutong (mu tong) 10g, talcum (hua shi) 30g, licorice (gan cao) 3g, gardenia-roasted (shan zhi zi) 10g, rhubarb-prepared (da guang) 10g, juncus (deng xin cao) 1g, etc.

If urine has stones, Pyrrosia Powder (Shi Wei san) may be used:
Pyrrosia (shi wei) 10g, dianthus (qu mai) 10g, mallow seed (dong kui zi) 10g, red prony (chi shao yao) 10g, Ovate atractylodes (bai zhu) 10g, mutong (mu tjong) 10g, vaccaria (wang bu liu xing) 10g, tangkuei (dang gui) 10g, talcum (hua shi) 30g, licorice (gan cao) 3g, etc.

If urine has blood (in acute cases), Cephalanoplos Drink (xiao ji yin zi) may be used: Field thistle (xiao ji) 15g, lotus root node (ou jie) 9g, typha pollen (pu huang) 9g, Dried rehmannia root (sheng di) 18g, mutong (mu tong) 12g, licorice root (gan cao) 6g, bamboo leaf (dan zu ye) 12g,talcum (hua shi) 9g, gardenia (shan zhi zi) 6g, etc.

If urine is cloudy with burning sensation, modified Yam Decoction for Clearing Turbid Urine (Bixie Fenqing Yin) may be used: Fish poison yam (bi xie) 9g, Acorus (shi cang pu) 6g, Phellodendron bark (huang bai) 9g, Plantago seed (che qian zi) 6g, Ovate atractylodes root (bai zhu) 9g, Poria (fu ling) 9g, Lotus embryo (lian zi xin) 6g, Salvia (dan shen) 6g, etc.

Simple Prescription: Gardenia (zhi zi) 60g, boiling for 30 minutes, take the liquid twice a day to treat Heat Lin Syndrome.

  

To treat by Acupuncture and Moxibustion


  

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Syndrome (b)
Qi stagnation

Difficult urination, dripping, distension pain on side of abdomen, thin white tongue coating, deep and wiry pulse.

To treat by Herbal medicine
Therapeutic principle: Remove stagnation of Qi and difficulty in urination.

Prescription/Formula: Modified Aquilaria Powder (chen xiang san) Aquilaria (chen xiang) 3g, tangerine peel (chen pi) 9g, tangkuei (dang gui) 6g, white peony (bai shao) 9g, licorice (gan cao)6g, pyrrosia (shi wei) 9g, talcum (hua shi) 9g, mallow seed (dong kui zi) 6g, Vaccaria seed (wang bu liu xing) 6g etc.

Simple Prescription: Mallow seed powder (dong kui zi powder), each time 5g, and and three times a day to treat Qi stagnation (Qi Lin)

  

To treat by Acupuncture and Moxibustion
  

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Syndrome (c)
Deficiency of spleen and kidney

Frequent and slow or dripping urination, or cloudy urine, heavy and distending sensation in lower side of abdomen, pale complexion, puffy face and feet, tiredness, soreness and weakness of low back and knees, dizziness, tinnitus (ringing in ears), poor appetite, bloating, loose stool, pale tongue with thin white coating, deep pulse with less strength, etc.

To treat by Herbal medicine
Therapeutic principle: Boost yang-qi, invigorating spleen and kidney.

Prescription/Formula: Modified Qi-boosting Decoction (modified bu zhong yi qi tang) Astragalus (huang qi) 15g, Chinese yam (shan yao) 9g, ovate atractylodes (bai zhu) 12g, licorice (gan cao) 3g, morinda (ba ji tian) 9g, cornus fruit (shan yu rou) 9g, cimicifuga (sheng ma) 3g, bupleurum (chai hu) 3g, jujube (da zao) 6g, , euryale seed (qian shi) 9g, dragon bone (long gu) 20g, oyster shell (mu li) 20g etc.

Simple Prescription: Cuscuta (tu si zi) 10g, boiling 30 minutes, drink three times a day to treat deficiency type of this disease.

  

To treat by Acupuncture and Moxibustion
  

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Syndrome (d)
Kidney Yin Deficiency

Low fever, frequent urgent urination, or with burning sensation, or with blood cells in urine, dizziness, tinnitus, sore and weak knees and back, dry mouth and throat, red tongue with thin coating, wiry and thready pulse etc.

To treat by Herbal medicine
Therapeutic principle: Nourishing Yin, invigorating the kidney, clearing away heat and descending fire.

Prescription/Formula: Modified Decoction of Anemarrheana, Phellodendron and Rehmannia (modified Zhi Bai Dihuang Tang) Rehmannia (sheng di) 15g, Chinese yam (shanyao) 10g, Cornus (shanyurou) 9g, Moutan bark (danpi) 9g, poria (fuling) 9g, alisma (zexie), anemarrhena (zhimu) 9g, phellodendron (huangbai) 6g, pyrrosia (shiwei) 9g, etc.

Simple Prescription: Uncooked rehmannia (sheng di) 20g, Phellodendron (huang bai) 10g, boil for 30 minutes, drink liquid twice a day to treat yin deficiency of this disease.

  

To treat by Acupuncture and Moxibustion
 Therapeutic principle: To smooth function of urinary bladder, clear away heat and dampness to stop pain by using points from three yin meridians, back-Shu and front-Mu points. Reduction methods should be used for acute case, to reduce and reinforce methods used together for complicated cases, moxibustion may be used for deficiency types.

Prescription: U.B.28 (pang guang shu), Ren 3 (zhong ji), Sp. 9 (yin ling quan), Liv. 2 (xing jian), K. D. 3 (tai xi), etc.

Modification:
bloody urine, add Sp. 10 (xue hai), Sp. 6 (san yin jiao)
cloudy urine, add U.B 23 (shen shu), K.D. 6 (zhao hai)
stone urine, add U.B. 39 (wei yang), K.D.2 (ran gu)
deficiency type: moxi Du 20 (bai hui)
severe burning pain: L.I. 4 (he gu), S.J. 5 (wai guan)

Auricular acupuncture:
Prescription/Formula: urinary bladder, kidney, sympathetic, adrenal, etc.

  

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5. Healing by Other Therapies

(a) Qigong and other therapies

For effect of Qigong on the Digestive System, click here.

Generally speaking, Qigong is good for healing effect of this specific ailment, however individual results may vary. It improves the flow of the qi and the circulation of the blood, so you'll experience more energy, but, you won't see/ feel any immediate effects, as with many exercises and therapies, it takes a few weeks or even months of practice before you'll see any significant improvements.

The following types of Qigong may help:

For the information of different types of Qigong ,just click a link above.

This information is for education purpose only. We strongly advise you seek a licensed Qigong master to learn the correct ways to conduct these exercises before attempting them.

(b) Medicated diet
1. Plantain Seed(Cheqianzi) 15g, boili it in water and drink it like tea.
2. Coix Seed(Yiyiren) 30-60g, boil it into gruel and take one prescription each day, several times a day.
3. Cape Jasmine Fruit(Zhizi) 15g, Talc(Huashi) 15g, boil in water for 20 minutes, drink it 3 times each day.

(c) Life style
1. Do necessary exercises.
2. Always remain a cheerful mood..
3. Don't restrain from urinating.
4. Don't take too much fatty food.
5. Pay attention to personal hygiene. Keep the genital organs clean.

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6. Psychological Adaptation to a Chronic and Severe Illness
One encounters different health problems in the course of one's life. Some problems are acute yet minor and often improve by themselves or yield to simple self-management. Severe and acute conditions often necessitate the help of health professionals who may provide fast relief with specific interventions. However, when the condition is chronic, the management required is quite different.

Please click the following button to learn "Psychological Adaptation to a Chronic and Severe Illness".

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Acknowledgments:
Healthphone.com greatly acknowledges the support and dedication of our
Healing Centre Panel, without whom this section would not be possible.

We also greatly acknowedge Ms. Najaf Munir, MBBS, for her editorial support. Ms. Munir simplified the highly technical medical documents into easy-to-read documents, for the enjoyment and education of our numerous visitors.