The kidneys are located at the waist. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the kidney is closely related to the growth, development and reproduction of the body, so there is a saying that the kidney governs the storage of essence. The kidney controls water, absorbs qi, produces marrow and bones, and begins to understand the ear, and its flowers are in the hair. The water that the human body drinks is sweat and urine formed by kidney gasification, so the kidney governs water. Kidney essence is sufficient to replenish marrow and nourish bone, bone marrow is connected with brain, and brain is marrow sea, so kidney governs bone marrow. The kidney has the function of fixing qi and cooperating with the lung, so the kidney governs qi. Therefore, the kidney is the foundation of the five internal organs and the foundation of a strong official.
Because the kidney plays a vital role in the human body, once there is a disease in the kidney, it will directly affect people's life and life. Therefore, understanding the kidney and its function is very important for people's health.
Kidney storing essence
Kidney stores essence and controls reproductive development. Essence is the basic substance that constitutes the human body, and it is also the material basis of various functional movements of the human body, including congenital essence and acquired essence. Congenital essence is inherited by parents, and acquired essence comes from diet. Both of them are hidden in the kidney by the spleen and stomach, which is called "kidney essence".
"Kidney essence" is the material basis of human growth and reproductive function, which affects all organs of human body. The rise and fall of kidney essence is related to the ability of reproduction and growth and development. From small to large, the essence of the kidney is gradually filled and the teeth are getting longer and longer. When the kidney develops to youth, it is full of essence and produces a kind of "Tiangui" substance, so men produce sperm, and women begin to menstruate as scheduled, and their sexual function gradually matures and they have reproductive ability; When you get old, the essence of kidney will gradually decline, sexual function and reproductive ability will decline and disappear, and your body will gradually age. Therefore, Su Wen Qian Gu said naively: "My husband is eight years old, full of kidney qi, with long hair and many teeth;" Twenty-eight, the kidney is full of qi, and the essence is overflowing. Seven or eight, fatigue, kidney failure, excellent health. Eight or eight, the tooth fell out. Female, seven years old, full of kidney qi, long teeth, Erqi, but the sky is coming, the pulse is too strong, the moon is now, ... On July 7, the pulse is too weak, the pulse is too weak, the sky is exhausted, and the tunnel is impassable, so it is bad and childless. " This fully embodies the role of kidney essence in presiding over human growth and reproductive function. If kidney essence is insufficient, children will be stunted, depressed and mentally retarded. Adult premature senility, dizziness and tinnitus, and decreased energy; Women have hypoplasia of reproductive organs, late menarche, amenorrhea and infertility. Men are infertile.
Kidney governs bone
The main bone produces marrow, and the brain and kidney store sperm, but it can produce marrow. Bone marrow is born in bone, and bone should be nourished by bone marrow. Therefore, Su Wenxuan's Five Qi articles say: "Kidney governs bone", "Yin and Yang should be like a big theory" and "Kidney gives birth to bone marrow". With sufficient kidney essence, bone marrow will be biochemically active, and bones will be fully nourished and strong. Kidney essence deficiency, lack of bone marrow source, bones can not be nourished, bones will be weak, and even stunted. Therefore, children's fontanel closes late and their bones are weak, which is often caused by insufficient kidney essence and empty bone marrow. The clinical application of traditional Chinese medicine for tonifying kidney can accelerate the growth and healing of bones, and treat various bone marrow diseases and aplastic anemia. Its theoretical basis is the theory that kidney stores essence, essence and blood alternate, kidney governs bone and essence produces marrow.
Bone marrow is divided into bone marrow and spinal cord, which leads to the brain. Therefore, Ling Shu Hai said: "The brain is the sea of marrow". The function of the brain is to preside over spiritual thinking activities, so it is also called "the house of yuan gods" Because the brain marrow depends on the continuous metaplasia of kidney essence, such as kidney essence deficiency, in addition to symptoms such as backache and leg weakness, dizziness, insomnia and mental retardation will also occur.
"Teeth are outside the bone", and teeth are nourished by kidney essence, so some dental diseases are also related to the kidney. With sufficient kidney essence, teeth will be strong. For example, children's teeth are born too late, and adults' teeth are loose and easy to fall off, which are all reflections of insufficient kidney essence. It is for this reason that toothache and tooth trembling caused by kidney deficiency are often treated by tonifying kidney.
Kidney governs water.
Main water mainly means that it plays an extremely important role in regulating the water-liquid balance in the body. The retention, distribution and excretion of water and liquid in the body by the kidney mainly depends on the gasification function of the kidney, and the power of gasification is also dependent on the regulation of kidney yang and kidney yin, which is usually compared to "on" and "off". It is generally believed that kidney yang dominates the opening and kidney yin dominates the closing. Deficiency of kidney yin leads to more opening and less closing, and more urination, which is common in diabetes insipidus and diabetes. Nourish kidney yin during treatment. Deficiency of kidney yang leads to less opening and closing, less urine and more edema. Treatment should be based on warming and tonifying kidney yang.
Kidney governs qi absorption.
Kidney governing qi absorption refers to the function of kidney to help the lungs inhale and reduce qi. Normal breathing depends on both the decline of the lungs and the absorption of the kidneys. The kidney plays the role of inspiration in the lower energizer. Only when the kidney qi is sufficient and the lungs are nourished can the airway be unobstructed and breathing be even. If you can't inhale due to qi deficiency, you will breathe more and suck less. Asthma is difficult to inhale, which is clinically called "kidney does not accept gas". This kind of asthma should be treated by tonifying kidney and absorbing qi.
Understanding begins with the ear, and its brilliance begins with the hair.
The hearing function of the ear depends on the essence and nourishment of the kidney. The kidney governs the storage of essence, and the kidney essence is sufficient, so the hearing can be sensitive. Therefore, the chapter "Lingshu Pulse Degree" says: "Kidney qi passes through the ear, and the kidney ear can smell five tones." Insufficient kidney essence will cause tinnitus and hearing loss. Old people often see diseases such as deafness. Often because of kidney essence failure.
Essence and blood are mutual metaplasia, and essence and blood are full. Hair's nutrition comes from blood, but its vitality comes from kidney qi, so the process of hair growth and shedding reflects the rise and fall of kidney qi. Therefore, Su Wen Qian Gu's "On Naivety" said: "A woman is seven years old, and her teeth are longer", "A husband is eight years old, and his kidneys are firm and his teeth are longer". Therefore, young and middle-aged people have sufficient kidney qi and thick and shiny hair. The old man's kidney is weak, his hair falls off easily, and his manuscript is white. Therefore, there is a saying that "hair is blood" and "kidney and bone are also glorious".
What is kidney yin and kidney yang?
Some people go to the hospital for treatment, and the doctor will say, "kidney yin deficiency" and so on. What is kidney yin and what is kidney yang? Let's give you an interpretation:
Kidney Yin: Kidney Yin, also known as "Yuan Yin" and "True Yin", is the foundation of human body's yin fluid and plays a role in moistening and nourishing various organs and tissues. Kidney yin is the embodiment of kidney essence function, and all organs in the whole body should rely on the nourishment of kidney yin; It is the root of human vaginal fluid, so it is also called "Yuan Yin". Without the nourishment of kidney yin, the viscera of human body will get sick, such as liver yin deficiency, liver yang hyperactivity and even liver wind; If the heart loses its nourishment, it will lead to heart yin deficiency, heart fire, upset and insomnia; Uneasy; Brain malnutrition leads to dizziness and tinnitus. On the contrary, when the yin fluid of each viscera is seriously insufficient, it will also lead to kidney yin deficiency. If the invasion of heat pathogen burns the stomach, the deficiency of stomach yin will further damage the kidney yin, which is called "dryness of kidney yin". Because of "yin deficiency hyperactivity" and "yin deficiency internal heat", kidney yin deficiency often appears hot flashes, red cheekbones, red tongue, dry mouth and throat, weak pulse, but there are also deficiency but not heat, which is called kidney essence loss.
Kidney-yang: Kidney-yang, also known as "Yuan Yang" and "Zhen Yang", is the basis of human yang, and plays a warming and biochemical role in various organs and tissues. Kidney-Yang Can promotes the physiological activities of various organs of the human body, which is the basis of human yang, also known as "Yuan Yang". Deficiency of kidney yang will affect the physiological activities of various viscera and cause pathological changes. If the lung loses the help of kidney yang, there will be shortness of breath and insufficient inspiration, which is called renal failure and can not inhale; With the development of spleen losing kidney yang, five kinds of diarrhea and indigestion appeared. When the heart loses kidney yang, palpitation and shortness of breath appear; Chest tightness; Symptoms of heart yang deficiency, such as blue lips and purple tongue coating; When the bladder loses the gasification of kidney yang, there will be unfavorable urination or incontinence, endless discharge or enuresis; When the absorption and transmission of body fluid lose the gasification of kidney yang, edema occurs; Insufficient gasification of the kidney itself leads to impotence, nocturnal emission, backache and weakness; If kidney yang fails, there will be dangerous symptoms such as pale face, cold limbs, cold sweat like oil and weak pulse, which is called yang failure. "Yang deficiency means yin is abundant" and "Yang deficiency means external cold". Kidney yang deficiency will inevitably produce cold symptoms, such as cold limbs, pale face, cold pain in the back, like hot drinks, long urine, loose stools, pale tongue with white fur and so on. If the deficiency syndrome is not obvious, it is generally called "kidney qi deficiency", and both kidney yang deficiency and kidney yin deficiency belong to kidney deficiency, which are basically the same; The difference is whether there is an obvious cold image.
We already know that Yin and Yang are interdependent and mutually transformed. What is the relationship between kidney yin and kidney yang?
Kidney yin and kidney yang are such a mutual relationship: kidney yin and kidney yang are two aspects of kidney physiology. The function of nourishing all internal organs of the whole body is called kidney yin; The function of promoting the activities of various organs in the whole body is called kidney yang. Kidney yin deficiency and kidney yang deficiency are two aspects of kidney pathology. Heat deficiency is yin deficiency and cold deficiency is yang deficiency. The two are different in nature. Yin and Yang, cold and heat are two opposite aspects. But both of them live in the kidney, which is the concrete expression of kidney essence and kidney qi, and they are closely related and inseparable. Yin fluid needs to be promoted by yang, which needs yin fluid as the basis. Kidney yin deficiency and kidney yang deficiency often interact with each other, resulting in pathological phenomena of yin deficiency and yang deficiency and yin deficiency. When the symptoms of kidney yin deficiency and kidney yang deficiency appear at the same time, we can't treat them equally. We must analyze it in detail to see which aspect plays a leading role in the disease. Mainly due to deficiency of kidney yin, it is necessary to nourish yin and blood in treatment, so that kidney yin is sufficient and kidney Yang Can is excited. In the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, it is called "essence can transform qi". Kidney yang deficiency is the main factor. In the treatment, we must first nourish the vitality and make the kidney yang vigorous, and then we can promote the recovery of kidney yin. In the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, it is called "Xue Jing can't be born quickly, but his vitality should be strengthened". It should also be noted that in the process of disease development, the themes of kidney yin deficiency and kidney yang deficiency will change, and the focus of treatment will change accordingly.
Kidney yang, also known as "Yuan Yang" and "Zhen Yang", is the basis of human yang, which plays a warming and biochemical role in various viscera tissues. Yin and yang in the kidney are sent to the kidney like fire and water, so there is the theory that the kidney is the house of fire and water. Kidney yin and kidney yang restrict and depend on each other in the body, maintaining the dynamic balance of human physiology. If this balance is destroyed, it will form a pathological change of kidney yin and yang imbalance. If you see upset, hot flashes, night sweats, men's nocturnal emission, women's sexual intercourse and other five symptoms. It is a symptom of excessive fire due to yin deficiency, which is due to insufficient kidney yin to control yang qi, resulting in mental fatigue, cold waist and knees, cold limbs, unfavorable urination or frequent urination, impotence and premature ejaculation in men, cold infertility in women's uterus, and insufficient kidney yang, insufficient warmth and insufficient biochemical function. There is an internal relationship between kidney yin deficiency and kidney yang deficiency, which often affect each other in the process of pathological changes, that is, kidney yin deficiency can affect kidney yang to a certain extent, and kidney yang deficiency can also harm kidney yin to a certain extent, becoming the syndrome of kidney yin deficiency and kidney yang deficiency.
Relationship between kidney and bladder
After learning about the kidney, let's learn about the brother bladder of the kidney and see what the relationship between the kidney and the bladder is.
The bladder is located in the lower abdomen, and its main physiological function is to store urine and urinate. Directly connected with the kidney, both exterior and interior. Urine is dissolved by body fluids, and turbid urine is transported to the bladder and temporarily stored under the gasification of the kidney. When stored to a certain extent, it is excreted under the gasification of the bladder. "On the Secret Code of Su Wenling's Orchid" says: "Bladder is the official of the state, and body fluid can be stored and gasified." The function of urine storage and urination of bladder depends entirely on the gasification function of kidney, and the gasification of bladder actually belongs to transpiration gasification of kidney. The main manifestations of bladder diseases are frequent urination, urgency and dysuria. Or urination is unfavorable, urine leaks, and even urine is closed; Or enuresis, urinary incontinence, etc.
Kidney and bladder meridian belong to collaterals, which are divided into exterior and interior. The gasification function of bladder depends on the rise and fall of kidney qi, which helps bladder to gasify body fluids. Bladder opens and closes to suppress urine. Sufficient kidney qi, normal gasification, proper fixation and proper opening and closing of bladder can maintain normal metabolism of water. If kidney qi is insufficient, gasification is unfavorable, fixation is incorrect, and bladder opening and closing is abnormal, symptoms such as urinary incontinence, enuresis and frequent urination will occur.
Relationship between kidney and other viscera
What is the close relationship between kidney and other viscera? Let's take a look at them one by one:
Heart and kidney
The heart is located in the sky, belonging to yang, sky and fire in the five elements; The kidney is located below, and the five elements belong to yin, earth and water. When the weather falls to the kidney, the kidney water rises to the heart, and the heart and kidney intersect, the physiological functions between the heart and kidney can be coordinated. Otherwise, if fire and water are not harmonious, heart and kidney are not harmonious, heart fire can't reach the kidney, kidney water can't benefit heart coagulation, and the physiological functions between heart and kidney will lose coordination, resulting in a series of pathological manifestations.
Lung and kidney
The kidney is the dirty of the main water, and the lung is the "source of water". The descending of lung and the passage of water depend on the transpiration and gasification of lung; The water control function of kidney also depends on the declaration of lung and the regulation of water channel. Therefore, as the saying goes, "its source is in the kidney, and its end is in the lung, and there is stagnant water."
Lung governs exhalation and kidney governs inhalation. The respiratory function of the lung depends on the absorption of gas by the kidney. The kidney is full of qi, and the inhaled gas can be absorbed into the kidney through the depression of the lung. Therefore, as the saying goes, "the lung is the master of qi and the kidney is the root of qi."
In addition, vaginal fluid between lung and kidney is interdependent. If lung yin deficiency may damage kidney yin; Kidney yin deficiency can not nourish lung yin, so lung and kidney yin deficiency often coexist.
Liver and kidney
Liver stores blood and kidney stores essence. Metaplasia of blood depends on the gasification of essence and bile in kidney; The filling of essence in the kidney also depends on the nourishment of blood. Therefore, essence can produce blood, and blood can be refined. "Liver and kidney are homologous."
Liver, kidney and yin and yang restrict and balance each other. For example, deficiency of kidney yin will lead to deficiency of liver yin, and failure to control Yang Can will lead to "water without wood". Excessive liver yang and insufficient liver yin will lead to insufficient kidney yin and excessive internal heat. On the other hand, excessive liver fire will also consume kidney yin, resulting in insufficient kidney yin.
In addition, the imbalance between the liver governing the discharge and the kidney governing the storage also affects the physiological functions of menstruation in women and ejaculation in men.
Spleen and kidney
Spleen is the foundation of acquired, and kidney is the foundation of congenital. The healthy movement and subtle influence of spleen must rely on the warmth of kidney yang, so it is said that "spleen yang is rooted in kidney yang"; The essence in the kidney also depends on the cultivation and nourishment of Shui Gu's essence, so that it can be continuously filled and matured.
The key to health care is to tonify the kidney first, and the key lies in the spirit. The kidney plays a very important role in the human body, just like a "treasure hole", absorbing the "material essence" stored in various organs of the human body, so that it has the functions of controlling growth, development, reproduction, regulating body fluids, regulating urination and controlling bone marrow. The quality of renal function directly affects the health of various human systems, and people's age and living habits will also affect the strength of renal function.