Let’s have a look at these Kidney and Bladder and how they function according to Western medicine and Oriental medicine.
Kidney function (Western Medicine)
- Removes waste from blood
- Regulates salts and acids (pH levels)
- Produces hormones that help control blood pressure, water balance, make red blood cells and maintain strong bones
Bladder Function (Western Medicine)
- Storage of urine
- The release of urine by its own muscle system
Kidney Function (Oriental Medicine)
- Storing essence (Jing Qi) given at birth
- Dominates human reproduction and development
- Produces ‘marrow’ to fill the brain
- Produces ‘marrow’ for bone health
- Manufactures blood
- Manifests in hair on the head
- Opens into the ears
- Fluid secretions mainly urine, semen and vaginal fluids
- Houses will-power, courage, inner strength
- Emotions associated are anxiety, fear and courage
Bladder Function (Oriental Medicine)
- Fluid transformation
- Stores and excretes urine
Physical, Emotional & Spiritual Signs and Symptoms
(Oriental medicine)
Kidney & Bladder In Balance
- Have courage, inner strength and will-power
- Ability to be calm, clear and grounded (can handle stress better than most, doesn’t get too stressed out and knows when its time to pull back and reduce activity)
- Patient and persistent
- Thick head of hair and good hearing
- Likely to have high brain function and the potential for highly developed intelligence
- Fertile, can reproduce easily and produce healthy, well-developed children
- Healthy, balanced sexual life (not too much, not too little)
- Strong and stable back body
- Strong bones and a sense of solidity in the body frame
- A powerful charismatic presence
- Able to fall asleep easily and have healthy, deep and regular sleep
- Meditation and relaxation come without much effort
Kidney and Bladder Out Of Balance
- Easily startled, jumpy, fearful, anxious, agitated, restless
- Lower back pains or deep achy back pain
- Very tired, very lethargic
- Lacks courage and inner strength to launch new projects or pursue new avenues (work, career, travel, etc)
- Lacks inner fire, passion, motivation and luster
- Ungrounded – sometimes quick to neurotic behavior and anger
- Pale face
- Very low sex drive or excessive sex drive
- Infertile or very hard to reproduce
- Urinates very frequently with clear urine, painful urination or urinary incontinence
- Carries excess fluids
- Poor short-term memory
- Fickle, unsteady mind
- Ringing in the ears, hearing loss
- Osteoporosis, bone weaknesses, tooth decay
- Impaired mental development
- Thin hair
- Hot flashes
- Dry mouth and skin
- Prone to kidney and bladder infections
The main causes responsible for draining the kidney and bladder are stress, succumbing to and re-affirming fear-based behavior and excess activity like overworking or excess physical training. One’s genes and bodily constitution also play a role in the overall health of the kidney’s energy. Therefore, if one knows their bodily constitution is not ideal, then extra caution is advised to not overwork and drain the kidney’s energy. Instead, devoting to a slower and more nurturing lifestyle is advisable as it helps build up the kidney energies over time.