The relationship between Lung and Kidney in TCM theory

This association is mainly reflected in the movement of water and qi. Water metabolism is closely related to the function lung and kidney Lung need to dispersing and descending the water and kidney should evaporate water. If any of those organ not function well, water metabolism is serious disturbed. Symptoms of cough, shortness of breathe, difficulty in lying flat and oedema.

There are two pattern involved:

1. Lung qi deficiency affects the kidney in reception of qi which cause shortness of breath.

2. Lung yin deficiency injure kidney yin as resulting malar flush, afternoon fever, night sweating,  dry cough, hoarse voice and weakness and soreness of the lumbar region and knees.

Case study #1

69 years female patient has chronic lower back pain and recently hurt her back. After the chiropractic and Acupuncture treatment for two months, she felt much better but she still complained numbness of the lower legs. I suggested her to do water therapy or swimming to move the qi and blood, also strength her muscle. The numbness went away immediately.

Two week ago she complained of night coughing, dry but difficult to expel phlegm. She also felt bottom of foots burning hot and often wake her up from sleep. She always felt her throat is tickling which make her cough. She also complained of excess sweating on her face and head during the day make her embarrass.

This is classic of Lung and Kidney qi and yin deficient. I prescribed three formulas as follow:

1. Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan- Nourish the Kidney yin and clear deficient heat. Patient’s lower back pain is gone and did not feel her feet is hot during the sleep.

2. Bai he Giu Jin Tang- Nourish the Lung Yin. Patient was very happy and felt relieved from the coughing. She can finally sleep through the night.

3. Shen Mai San- Tonify the Lung qi and stop the sweating. Patient felt her energy is much better, if fact she swims 15 laps everyday. But the daytime sweating has not much improvement.

In conclusion: I was very happy the result of these three formula. I think if she continues her swimming, her lung qi will be stronger then help to stop the excess sweating.

Case study #2

59 female over weight, high cholesterol and recently has diagnosis has fatty liver. Patient is very concern her liver and would like to loss weight. During the initial exam, I found her ankles were swollen (oedema). Patient had difficulty lying flat, I had to rise her upper back up in order to do the acupuncture. Patient also complained of non-stop coughing and felt water in the throat. Patient felt tired all the time not felt to do exercise after work. Craving sweet and over eating.

This involved three organ Kidney, Lung and Spleen. I felt the root of problem is her spleen qi is weak and Kidney and Lung is secondary. At the same time, I need to deal with the liver function.

Acupuncture points: KI7, SP3, ST36, LV3, LV14, ST 21 to ST25, SP 15, Ren 9, Ren 6, ST 40, LU7, SJ13

Formulas prescribed:

1. Xiang Sha Liu Jun zhi Tang- Awaken the Spleen’s function, leak out the dampness, and strength the stomach and spleen qi. Patient likes this formula very much. She felt has much more energy, and lost 2 lb in a week.

2. Bao He Wan- Shan zha is the main herb of this formula, which can lower cholesterol and hypertension. I hope it prevent the fatty liver to be cirrhosis. It is also preventing food accumulation and clear heat. Patient felt her craving and over eating is slower down. And her blood test came back last week to show her live function is much better.

3. Wu Ling San- for edema and difficulty lying down. So far her edema is not improved and she felt dizziness after took 2 days (she add one more time than my instruction) So, I decided to limit her to 3 pills a day and ask her to contact MD to see why she is on Diuretics ("water pills") still has edema.

In conclusion: If the edema is not improved I may try Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan to help coughing or try Shi Pi Yin for edema. To adding the warming method to see if improve the water metabolism even though patient has no cold symptom to indicating yang deficient. I believe these two formula will help the water edema and also help loss weight.