I. Physiological Functions and Pathological Core of the Bladder

1. Physiological Characteristics of the Bladder

• Official of the Capital: The function of storing and voiding urine depends on the warming and nourishing of kidney yang (as stated in “The Spiritual Pivot – The Secret Canon of the Yellow Emperor”: “The bladder is the official of the capital, where fluids are stored, and when transformed by qi, they can be expelled.”).
• Key to Qi Transformation: Insufficient kidney yang leads to loss of bladder control (enuresis, frequent urination), while stagnation of damp-heat causes painful and difficult urination (red urine, burning sensation).

2. Core Pathogenesis of Bladder Diseases

• Excess Syndrome: Damp-heat pouring downward, obstructing qi transformation (frequent and urgent urination, hematuria, stones).
• Deficiency Syndrome: Deficiency of kidney yang, inability to hold (enuresis, frequent nocturnal urination).

II. Differential Diagnosis and Treatment Plans for Bladder Diseases

Bladder Damp-Heat Syndrome

Excess Syndrome: Internal generation of damp-heat, impaired qi transformation
Symptoms: Frequent and urgent urination, short and red urine, burning pain during urination; damp-heat rising to the surface, causing fever and low back pain; heat damaging the blood vessels, leading to hematuria; damp-heat condensing urine impurities, forming stones.
Treatment: Clear and drain bladder damp-heat
Techniques: Chize, waist and leg points, Golden Line, five urinary points (apply Yiyang Shuxin patch)
Dietary Therapy: Cheqianzi (clears the urinary tract, drains bladder damp-heat)

Bladder Deficiency-Cold Syndrome

Deficiency Syndrome: Insufficient kidney qi
Deficiency-cold, bladder deficiency-cold due to insufficient kidney yang
Symptoms: Urinary incontinence, frequent urination, chronic urinary tract infections, or incomplete bowel movements, burning sensation after urination
Treatment: Warm the kidney and consolidate the bladder
Techniques: Moxibustion, spinal pinching, five urinary points
Dietary Therapy: Yizhiren (tonifies the kidney, commonly used for children with enuresis)

III. Special Therapies and Practical Guidelines

1. Techniques and Acupoint Adjustments

• Damp-Heat Syndrome:
  • Golden Line (from Tiantu to Jiuwei): Use lifting technique to unblock the Ren meridian, guiding damp-heat downward.
  • Application of Five Urinary Points: Apply diuretic herbs (such as Cheqianzi, Huashi) to Zhongji, Pangguangshu, and Sanyinjiao.
• Deficiency-Cold Syndrome:
  • Moxibustion at Guanyuan and Mingmen: Moxibustion for 15 minutes daily to warm and tonify kidney yang.
  • Spinal Pinching Technique: Pinch along the spine from the sacrum to the neck to stimulate the bladder meridian qi.

2. Analysis of Classic Formulas

• Suoquan Wan: Yizhiren warms the kidney and dispels cold, Wuyao moves qi and resolves stagnation, Shanyao strengthens the spleen and consolidates, enhancing bladder qi transformation[^user note].
• Bazheng San: Qumai and Diyu clear and drain damp-heat, Zhizi and Dahuang guide heat downward, suitable for acute urinary tract infections[^user note].

IV. Dietary Therapy and Daily Care

1. Food and Medicine Homologous Schemes

• Damp-Heat Type:
  • Winter Melon and Job’s Tears Soup: Winter melon clears heat and promotes diuresis, Job’s tears strengthens the spleen and removes dampness (suitable for summer bladder damp-heat).
  • Corn Silk and White Grass Root Tea: Corn silk promotes diuresis and reduces swelling, white grass root cools blood and stops bleeding (auxiliary treatment for hematuria and stones).
• Deficiency-Cold Type:
  • Gorgon Fruit and Walnut Porridge: Gorgon fruit consolidates the kidney and astringes essence, walnuts tonify the kidney and warm yang (suitable for those with frequent nocturnal urination and fear of cold).
  • Chinese Yam and Pigeon Soup: Chinese yam strengthens the spleen, pigeon meat nourishes kidney yin (suitable for those with kidney qi deficiency and yin deficiency).

2. Taboos and Health Preservation

• Dietary Taboos: Avoid spicy foods (chili, alcohol) for damp-heat, avoid cold foods (cold drinks, seafood) for deficiency-cold.
• Sleep Schedule Recommendations: Avoid holding urine, go to bed before 11 PM (to nourish kidney yang).

Kidney Dietary Therapy: Chinese Yam and Goji Berry Rice Porridge (for kidney yin); He Shou Wu and Jujube Porridge (for both kidney yin and yang); Astragalus and Lotus Seed Porridge with Tangerine Peel, Poria and Red Bean Porridge (strengthens the spleen, promotes qi circulation, promotes diuresis and reduces swelling); Cornus and Walnut Porridge (nourishes kidney qi); Gorgon Fruit and Old Duck Stew (leans towards nourishing kidney yang); Chinese Yam and Pigeon Soup (strengthens the spleen, nourishes qi, tonifies deficiency, and promotes fluid production).
Herbal Tea: Rose Tea, Chrysanthemum Tea

Bladder Dietary Therapy: Winter Melon and Job’s Tears Soup, promotes diuresis and detoxification, suitable for chronic kidney-related bladder diseases in summer; Corn Silk and White Grass Root Soup, clears the liver and gallbladder, promotes diuresis and relieves frequent and urgent urination; Red Bean and Carp Soup, regulates the spleen and stomach, improves edema; Luffa and Lean Pork with Goji Berry Soup, clears heat and resolves phlegm, cools blood and detoxifies, promotes blood circulation and relieves pain; Fermented Soybean and Winter Melon with Beef Soup, clears heat and detoxifies, promotes diuresis and reduces swelling; Green Bean and Wheat Porridge, relieves frequent urination due to bladder inflammation.

V. Modern Research and Classical Origins

• “The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon”: “Bladder dysfunction causes urinary retention, and lack of control leads to enuresis” – clearly linking bladder diseases with abnormal urination.
• Modern Research: Bazheng San can inhibit Escherichia coli (a common bacterium in urinary tract infections) and improve bladder mucosal inflammation (Journal of Chinese Herbal Medicine, 2023).
• Tongue Manifestations: A swollen tongue with thick greasy coating (indicating lower jiao damp-heat) is associated with hypertension and insomnia, requiring clearing and draining damp-heat while calming the liver and subduing yang.
  A long, thick, greasy tongue at the back indicates damp-heat obstruction in the lower jiao, which over time will inevitably lead to high blood pressure and poor sleep.
• Overall Formula: Underarm three major tendons, Golden Line, inner thigh liver meridian area. (Guiding fire back to its origin, the underarm three major tendons are the switch for difficult and complex diseases; open this area first to get the qi moving, then other adjustments will be easier!!!)

Note: The therapies described in this article require guidance from a Chinese medicine practitioner. Acute cystitis, urinary tract stones, and other conditions require combined Chinese and Western medical treatment. The dosages of the formulas are for adult standard use and need to be individually adjusted in clinical practice. Do not self-medicate.