UB patterns

Question 1

Physiological characteristics and functions of the Urinary Bladder

Answer 1

main functions of the Urinary Bladder are storage and excretion of urine
- ST fluids -> SI separates fluids into ‘clean’ -> UB
- and a ‘dirty’ part -> LI partly for reabsorption, partly for excretion in stool
- UB separates fluids into ‘pure’ and ‘impure’ part, excretes urine by the power for qi transformation

LU -> SP ST -> SI -> LI
LU -> SP ST -> SI -> UB
LU -> KD -> UB

“Facility of aggregation for fluids”
Minister of Water Resource Control
州都之官 zhōu dū zhī guān
Viscera of Body Fluids
津液之臟 jīn yè zhī zàng

Question 2

Urinary Bladder Patterns (2)

Answer 2

Excess Patterns
● Urinary Bladder Damp-Heat

Empty Patterns
● Urinary Bladder Deficiency Cold

Question 3

6 channel pairing, interior exterior relationship

Answer 3

Six-Channel pairing:
Urinary Bladder Foot Taiyang
Small Intestine Hand Taiyang

Interior-Exterior relationship
Urinary Bladder meridian
Kidney meridian

Question 4

UB functions

Answer 4

The two most important functions of the Bladder include:
1. Stores Urine
● After reabsorption and transformation, fluid waste send from the Small Intestine to the Urinary Bladder further transform into waste urine. The Urinary Bladder acts a type of container that temporarily holds the fluid waste until it is full
2. Excretes Urine
● Fluid wastes are discharged from the body through the Urinary Bladder’s Qi transformation function, 膀胱氣化 páng guāng qì huà, until a sufficient amount has accumulated. This function of the Urinary Bladder is performed with the help of Kidney Qi.

Question 5

Urinary Bladder Deficiency Cold 膀胱虛寒
páng guāng xū hán

Answer 5

Kidney yang deficiency failing to warm, leading to a disorder of the Urinary Bladder’s storage and excretion functions

Clinical Manifestations: Frequent clear and copious urination, bedwetting, urinary incontinence, difficult urination, intolerance of cold, cold limbs, lassitude, listlessness

Tongue: Pale, with white moist coating
Pulse: Deep and weak

Key points:
- Frequent clear and copious urination,
- urinary incontinence,
- plus yang deficiency signs and symptoms

Treatment Principle:
Tonify and warm the Bladder and Kidney Yang
- Acupuncture: BL-22, BL-23, BL-28, GV-4, CV-4, ST-36
- Method: Reinforcing, moxa is applicable
- Herbal Formulae: 縮泉丸 suō quán wán Restrict the Fountain Pill, 桑螵蛸散 sāng piāo xiāo sǎn Mantis Egg-Case Powder, 菟絲子丸 tù sī zǐ wán Cuscuta Pill

Question 6

Comparison:
Urinary Bladder
Deficiency Cold
vs.
Kidney Yang Deficiency

Answer 6

Different

Kidney Yang Deficiency
- Soreness and weakness in the lower back and groin, early morning diarrhea “cock’s crow”, loose stools, sexual dysfunction, menstrual disorders, infertility. Frequent nocturnal urination

Question 7

Comparison:
Urinary Bladder Deficiency Cold
vs.
Small Intestine Deficiency Cold

Answer 7

Different

Urinary Bladder Deficiency Cold:
- Difficult urination, bedwetting, urinary incontinence
- Urinary Bladder, Kidney
- Pale tongue with moist white coating;
- Deep and weak pulse

Small Intestine Deficiency Cold
- Exopathogenic cold invasion, history of Spleen and Stomach deficiency
- Loose stools, borborygmus
- Spleen, Stomach, Kidney
- Pale tongue with thin white coating;
- Deep, weak or slow pulse

Question 8

Damp-Heat in the Urinary Bladder 膀胱濕熱 páng guāng shī rè

Answer 8

Definition: damp-heat accumulation in the Urinary Bladder, leading to a disorder of its urine storage and discharge functions.

Clinical Manifestations: Frequent urination, urgent urination with burning pain, dark-colored, bloody or cloudy urine, stones in the urine, dribbling urination, or discontinuation of urination in the mid-stream, possibly accompanied by fever and chills, low back pain.

Tongue: Red tongue with yellow coating
Pulse: Slippery, rapid

Key Points: Frequent, urgent, burning and painful urination, plus damp-heat signs and symptoms

Treatment Principle: resolve Dampness, clear Heat and open the Water passages of the Lower Burner
Acupuncture: SP-9, SP-6, BL-22, BL-63, BL-66, ST-28, Ren-3
Method: Reducing, no moxibustion
Formulas: Ba Zheng San, Wu Ling San

Question 9

Comparison: Urinary Bladder Damp Heat vs. Small Intestine Excess Fire

Answer 9

Differences

Urinary Bladder Damp-Heat
- Stone in the urine, cloudy urine, difficult urination, or even urinary blockage (long bi)
- Low back pain
- stone painful urinary dribbling, turbid painful urinary dribbling

Small Intestine Excess Fire
- Irritability, insomnia, canker sores, tongue sores, loose