U is for Urinary Tract Health: Understanding Bladder Symptoms Through TCM

Urinary symptoms are common, but they can also be frustrating, disruptive and sometimes uncomfortable.

​Frequent urination, urgency, waking several times during the night, bladder irritation or recurrent urinary tract infections can all have a significant impact on quality of life.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, urinary health is looked at as part of a much bigger picture. Rather than focusing only on the bladder, we look at patterns involving the Kidneys, Bladder, Spleen and the body's overall balance of Qi, Yin, Yang and fluids.

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How Does TCM Look at Urinary Problems?
In TCM, the Kidneys play an important role in fluid metabolism, bladder control and healthy aging. When Kidney Qi or Kidney Yang becomes weak, a person may experience frequent urination, nighttime urination, leakage, a sense of bladder weakness or feeling cold.

Other urinary symptoms may be associated with what TCM describes as Damp Heat in the Bladder. This pattern may include burning, urgency, dark urine, pelvic discomfort or a feeling of incomplete urination.

Stress can also play a role. In TCM, emotional stress can contribute to Qi stagnation and tension through the pelvic region. Some people notice that urinary urgency or frequency becomes worse when they are stressed, anxious or overtired.

How Can Acupuncture Help?
Acupuncture treatment is individualized according to the symptoms and underlying TCM pattern. Treatment may focus on:

•  Supporting bladder function and control
•  Reducing urinary urgency and frequency
•  Supporting pelvic floor function
•  Improving circulation through the pelvic region
•  Helping regulate the nervous system
•  Supporting sleep when nighttime urination is an issue
• Addressing stress and tension that may aggravate urinary symptoms
• Strengthening Kidney and Spleen Qi when symptoms are associated with weakness or fatigue

Acupuncture may also be used as supportive care for people experiencing chronic or recurring bladder symptoms once serious causes have been ruled out.

Herbs, Food & Lifestyle
TCM treatment may also include dietary and lifestyle recommendations based on the individual's pattern. Someone showing signs of internal heat may receive very different recommendations from someone who feels cold, exhausted and wakes several times each night to urinate.

This is one reason TCM doesn't use a single treatment for everyone with the same symptom. Two people with urinary frequency may have completely different underlying patterns and therefore require different acupuncture points and recommendations.

What About a UTI?
It is important to distinguish supportive TCM care from treatment of an acute infection. Burning urination, blood in the urine, fever, chills, significant pelvic or back pain, or rapidly worsening symptoms should be medically assessed. A bacterial urinary tract infection may require antibiotics, and acupuncture should not delay appropriate medical treatment.

Where acupuncture and TCM may be especially useful is in looking at the bigger picture — particularly when someone experiences recurring urinary symptoms, bladder sensitivity, urgency, nighttime urination or symptoms that seem to worsen with stress, menopause or aging.

At Wellness on 1st, we take the time to look beyond the symptoms and understand the bigger picture. Urinary concerns can be uncomfortable to talk about, but they’re also incredibly common and can have a meaningful impact on everyday life. With an individualized approach, acupuncture and TCM can be part of supporting better bladder health, comfort and overall well-being.

-- Dr. Susan Newman, Dr. Ac