Kidney deficiency and nephritis are different diseases

Are "kidney deficiency" in traditional Chinese medicine and "nephritis" or "renal failure" in Western medicine the same thing? The kidney in Western medicine is what ordinary people commonly call "kidneys", which together with the ureters, bladder, and urethra constitute the "urinary system." It is specifically responsible for the regulation and excretion of water and the removal of toxins. Therefore, edema or toxin retention (increase in creatinine or urea nitrogen) will occur in nephritis or renal failure. The "kidney" in traditional Chinese medicine, in addition to the kidney of the urinary system in Western medicine, has another very important function, which is the reproductive system. If the kidneys of the urinary system are called "internal kidneys", then the kidneys of the reproductive system can be called "external kidneys".

Kidney deficiency in traditional Chinese medicine refers to the decline of reproductive function (including sexual function) in a narrow sense; in a broad sense, it refers to the dysfunction caused by various diseases that have become more serious, not only nephritis and kidney failure in Western medicine, but also heart failure, asthma, cancer, the recovery period of cerebrovascular disease, serious blood diseases, etc. Therefore, kidney deficiency in traditional Chinese medicine refers to a decline in reproductive function (mostly referring to sexual function) or a decline in overall function (of course, this also includes nephritis or renal failure).

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that when the balance between kidney yin and kidney yang is disrupted, pathological changes such as kidney yin or kidney yang deficiency or excess will occur. Kidney Yin deficiency is manifested by soreness and weakness in the waist and knees, fever in the five parts of the body, dizziness, tinnitus, insomnia, forgetfulness, night sweats, spermatorrhea and premature ejaculation in men, oligomenorrhea and amenorrhea in women, constipation, red tongue with little coating and thin pulse. The decline of kidney yang is called kidney yang deficiency, which is manifested by pale or dark complexion, soreness and coldness of waist and knees, lack of energy, impotence and premature ejaculation in men, infertility due to uterine cold, enuresis, edema, and diarrhea at dawn in women. Therefore, "kidney deficiency" not only manifests itself as changes in sexual function, but also involves a series of changes in the functions of the whole body.