Taxation Strangury
Lin syndrome refers to a group of disorders caused by dietary factors, overexertion, or invasion by damp-heat. The main pathomechanisms are kidney deficiency, damp-heat in the bladder, and impaired qi transformation. Its principal clinical manifestations include frequent, urgent urination; dribbling that does not fully stop; painful, difficult urination; lower abdominal tension; and pain radiating to the lower back and abdomen. Lin syndrome is also known as linli or the five lin patterns, and is abbreviated as lin. Different clinical manifestations give rise to various names, including heat lin, blood lin, qi lin, stone lin (gravel lin), unctuous lin, taxation lin, and cold lin. When onset is sudden, it is called acute lin or sudden-onset lin. Lin occurring during pregnancy or after childbirth is called pregnancy-associated lin or postpartum lin. In older people, it is called senile lin. In Western medicine, urinary tract infections, urinary stones, urinary tuberculosis, urinary tract tumors, chyluria, prostatitis, and benign prostatic hyperplasia, among other conditions, may be assessed and treated according to pattern differentiation as described in this section when they present with urinary tract irritation symptoms.
TCM Pattern Differentiation and Medication Reference
|Common Symptoms
Clinical Description:
Frequent urination, burning and stabbing pain in the urethra, yellowish-red urine, red tongue body, white tongue coating, and a wiry, rapid or slippery, rapid pulse.
In Plain Language:
- Urinating more often than usual.
- A marked burning, stinging pain in the urethra.
- Urine is yellowish-red and darker in color.
- The tongue body appears somewhat red.
- The tongue coating is white.
- The pulse is wiry and rapid or slippery and rapid.
|Treatment Approach
Clinical Description:
Clear heat and toxins, drain dampness, and relieve lin.
In Plain Language:
- May help clear internal heat and dispel harmful substances, easing discomfort such as feverish irritability, sore or swollen throat, or painful sores and swelling.
- May help promote the elimination of dampness and improve urination, easing symptoms such as scanty, dark urine, burning pain, or difficult, dribbling urination.
|Related Formulas
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and package insert, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
|Common Symptoms
Clinical Description:
Frequent urination, burning and stabbing pain in the urethra, accompanied by chills and fever, bitter taste in the mouth, dry throat, a white, greasy tongue coating, and a wiry, rapid pulse.
In Plain Language:
- Frequent urination with a burning, stinging feeling in the urethra.
- Chills and fever.
- A bitter taste in the mouth and a dry throat.
- The tongue coating is white and greasy.
- The pulse is wiry and rapid.
|Treatment Approach
Clinical Description:
Disperse exterior pathogens and promote urination to relieve lin.
In Plain Language:
- May help disperse external pathogens, easing symptoms such as fever and chills, headache and body aches, or general discomfort.
- May help promote urination and eliminate dampness, easing discomfort such as scanty, dark urine, urethral burning, or difficulty urinating.
|Related Formulas
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and package insert, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
|Common Symptoms
Clinical Description:
Hesitant, difficult urination with dribbling; fullness and oppression around the umbilicus or distending heaviness in the lower abdomen; white tongue coating; deep, wiry pulse.
In Plain Language:
- Urination is hesitant, dribbling, and difficult.
- There is a feeling of fullness and oppression around the navel, or a dragging, distended discomfort in the lower abdomen.
- The tongue coating is white.
- The pulse is deep and wiry.
|Treatment Approach
Clinical Description:
Regulate and move qi, clear heat, and drain dampness.
In Plain Language:
- May help regulate the movement of qi and promote its free flow, easing discomfort such as distending fullness in the chest and flanks, belching, or abdominal distension and pain.
- May help clear internal heat and promote the elimination of dampness, easing symptoms such as feverish irritability, a heavy feeling in the body, or scanty, dark urine.
|Related Formulas
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and package insert, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
|Common Symptoms
Clinical Description:
Painful, difficult urination; yellowish-red urine; constipation; red tongue body; rapid, slippery pulse.
In Plain Language:
- Urination is difficult and painful.
- The urine is yellowish-red and darker in color.
- The stool is dry and difficult to pass.
- The tongue appears somewhat red.
- The pulse is rapid and smooth.
|Treatment Approach
Clinical Description:
Drain heat, unblock the bowels, promote urination, and relieve lin.
In Plain Language:
- May help drain accumulated internal heat and promote bowel movement, easing constipation, abdominal distension and pain, or irritability and thirst.
- May help promote urination and eliminate dampness, easing symptoms such as scanty, dark urine, urethral burning, or dribbling, difficult urination.
|Related Formulas
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and package insert, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
|Common Symptoms
Clinical Description:
Prolonged course; mild painful, urgent, frequent urination; symptoms worsen with a cold, exertion, or sexual activity; fatigue and lack of strength; dry mouth and tongue; red tip of the tongue; thin white coating with little moisture; deep, weak pulse.
In Plain Language:
- The condition persists for a long time. Painful and urgent urination is relatively mild.
- Symptoms worsen after a cold, exertion, or sexual activity.
- Fatigue and lack of energy.
- Dry mouth and tongue.
- The tip of the tongue is somewhat red, and the thin white coating has little moisture.
- The pulse is deep and weak.
|Treatment Approach
Clinical Description:
Tonify qi and nourish yin, clear heat, drain dampness, and resolve toxins.
In Plain Language:
- May help replenish qi and nourish yin, easing discomfort such as fatigue, shortness of breath, irritability, thirst, or hot flashes and night sweats.
- May help clear internal heat and promote the elimination of dampness, easing a heavy feeling in the body, scanty, dark urine, or burning and stabbing pain.
- May help dispel harmful substances, easing symptoms such as sore throat, painful sores and swelling, or red, swollen skin.
|Related Formulas
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and package insert, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
|Common Symptoms
Clinical Description:
Prolonged course; frequent urination; lower back pain and cold knees; aversion to cold; cold, damp scrotum in men; copious, thin, clear vaginal discharge in women; white tongue coating; deep pulse.
In Plain Language:
- The condition has lasted a long time and keeps recurring without improvement.
- Frequent urination and a frequent need to use the bathroom.
- Pain in the lower back and a cold sensation in the knees or lower-limb joints.
- Marked sensitivity to cold and a tendency to feel cold easily.
- In men, the scrotum may feel cold and damp to the touch.
- In women, vaginal discharge may be copious, clear, and thin.
- The tongue coating appears white.
- The pulse is deep and can be felt more clearly with firm pressure.
|Treatment Approach
Clinical Description:
Warm and supplement kidney yang, clear heat, drain dampness, and resolve toxins.
In Plain Language:
- May help warm and support kidney yang, easing discomfort such as aversion to cold, cold limbs, soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees, or fatigue.
- May help clear internal heat and promote the elimination of dampness, easing a heavy feeling in the body, scanty, dark urine, or swelling in the lower limbs.
- May help dispel harmful substances, easing symptoms such as sore throat, red and swollen sores, or painful swelling of the skin.
|Related Formulas
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and package insert, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
|Common Symptoms
Clinical Description:
Prolonged course; painful, difficult urination; soreness and pain in the lower back; heat in the palms, soles, and chest; dry mouth and throat; red tongue with no or scant coating; thin, rapid or deficient, rapid pulse.
In Plain Language:
- The condition has lasted a long time and keeps recurring without improvement.
- Urination is difficult and painful, with a stinging sensation in the urethra and noticeable discomfort when urinating.
- The lower back feels sore and painful, with persistent discomfort.
- The palms and soles feel hot, and there may also be a sensation of heat in the chest with restlessness.
- The mouth and throat feel dry, including when speaking or swallowing.
- The tongue is red, with little or no coating.
- The pulse is thin and rapid, or deficient and rapid, with little strength on palpation.
|Treatment Approach
Clinical Description:
Nourish kidney yin, clear heat, and drain dampness.
In Plain Language:
- May help nourish kidney yin, easing discomfort such as soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees, dizziness, ringing in the ears, or hot flashes and night sweats.
- May help clear internal heat and promote the elimination of dampness, easing a heavy feeling in the body, scanty, dark urine, or swelling in the lower limbs.
|Related Formulas
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and package insert, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
|Common Symptoms
Clinical Description:
Prolonged course; frequent, urgent urination; soreness and pain in the lower back; weakness in both legs; general fatigue; pale tongue body; deep pulse.
In Plain Language:
- The condition has lasted a long time and keeps recurring without improvement.
- Frequent urination and a constant urge to urinate, with a need to get to the bathroom quickly.
- The lower back feels sore and painful, with discomfort during activity or prolonged sitting.
- Both legs feel weak, and walking or standing for a long time may feel difficult.
- General fatigue and low energy, with limited improvement after resting.
- The tongue appears pale, with a washed-out color.
- The pulse is deep and can be felt more clearly with firm pressure.
|Treatment Approach
Clinical Description:
Tonify the kidneys, nourish yin, support yang, and clear and drain damp-heat.
In Plain Language:
- May help support kidney qi, nourish yin, and support yang, easing discomfort such as soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees, aversion to cold, fatigue, or hot flashes and night sweats.
- May help clear damp-heat, easing a heavy feeling in the body, scanty, dark urine, or urethral burning.
|Related Formulas
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and package insert, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
|Common Symptoms
Clinical Description:
Prolonged course; frequent urination; yellow urine; fullness or pain below the navel; purple tongue body or purple sides of the tongue; deep pulse.
In Plain Language:
- The condition has lasted a long time and keeps recurring without improvement.
- Frequent urination and a frequent need to use the bathroom.
- The urine looks yellow and relatively dark.
- There is a feeling of fullness, pressure, or pain below the navel, with lower abdominal discomfort.
- The tongue or its edges appear purple and dark in color.
- The pulse is deep and can be felt more clearly with firm pressure.
|Treatment Approach
Clinical Description:
Invigorate blood and resolve constraint, clear and drain damp-heat.
In Plain Language:
- May help promote blood circulation and relieve stagnation, easing discomfort such as distending fullness in the chest and flanks, low mood, pain, or bruising from blood stasis.
- May help clear damp-heat, easing a heavy feeling in the body, scanty, dark urine, or swelling in the lower limbs.
|Related Formulas
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and package insert, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
|Common Symptoms
Clinical Description:
Frequent urination; clear urine; post-void dribbling; lower back pain; fatigue in the limbs; pale, moist tongue body; deep, slow pulse.
In Plain Language:
- Frequent urination and a more frequent need to use the bathroom.
- The urine is clear and pale in color.
- Urine continues to dribble after urination, with a feeling that the bladder has not fully emptied.
- Discomfort or pain in the lower back, which may be more noticeable with activity or prolonged sitting.
- The limbs become easily fatigued and weak, with limited improvement after resting.
- The tongue is pale and moist, rather than dry.
- The pulse is deep and slow, and can be felt more clearly with firm pressure.
|Treatment Approach
Clinical Description:
Warm and supplement kidney yang, promote qi transformation, and secure and astringe.
In Plain Language:
- May help warm and support kidney yang, easing discomfort such as aversion to cold, cold limbs, soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees, or fatigue.
- May help promote qi transformation and secure and astringe, easing symptoms such as frequent urination, seminal emission, or persistent diarrhea.
|Related Formulas
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and package insert, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
|Common Symptoms
Clinical Description:
Incomplete urination; dragging distension during urination; shortness of breath and reluctance to speak; white tongue coating; weak, feeble pulse.
In Plain Language:
- Urine continues to dribble after urination, with a feeling that the bladder has not fully emptied.
- A dragging, distended feeling in the lower abdomen or urethra during urination.
- Shortness of breath, speaking little, and reluctance to talk; the voice may sound weak and quiet.
- The tongue coating appears white.
- The pulse feels weak and soft, with little force.
|Treatment Approach
Clinical Description:
Tonify the middle qi and raise yang.
In Plain Language:
- May help supplement middle qi, easing discomfort such as fatigue, shortness of breath, poor appetite, or bodily weakness.
- May help raise yang, easing symptoms associated with sinking of middle qi, such as chronic diarrhea, rectal prolapse, or uterine prolapse.
|Related Formulas
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and package insert, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
References
- Wang Yongyan, Yan Shiyun. Practical Internal Medicine of Traditional Chinese Medicine [M]. 2nd ed. Shanghai: Shanghai Scientific and Technical Publishers, 2009.
- Wu Mianhua, Wang Xinyue. Internal Medicine of Traditional Chinese Medicine [M]. 9th ed. Beijing: China Press of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2012.
- Wang Jiyao. Internal Medicine [M]. 2nd ed. Beijing: People’s Medical Publishing House, 2010.
- Zhou Lei, Han Jie, Gao Suqiang. Rational use of Chinese patent medicines for urinary system diseases [J]. Capital Medicine, 2011, 10: 41-43.
- Li Mingchen, Wu Cunxia. Clinical experience with Chinese patent medicines for urinary tract infections [J]. Evaluation and Analysis of Drug-Use in Hospitals of China, 2007, 7(4): 312-313.
- Pu Xiang, Zhang Junhua. Analysis of clinical research literature on traditional Chinese medicine treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections [J]. Liaoning Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2016, 43(3): 516-519.
- Zhu Jianming, Pang Haolong, Gong Lianbing. Series of lectures on rational drug use in the military (41) · Rational use of Chinese patent medicines for chronic pyelonephritis [J]. People’s Military Surgeon, 2014, 57(5): 556-557.