What are the functions and effects of the kidneys in Traditional Chinese Medicine?

It can be said that the kidney is an indispensable organ of our human body, and it is also an indispensable organ of the urinary system. Of course, the kidneys are closely related to human health. If there is a problem with the kidneys, it is easy to cause some kidney diseases, such as kidney stones and so on. Our understanding of the kidney is often based on Western medicine, so the question is, how does traditional Chinese medicine in our country define the function and role of the kidney?

Traditional Chinese medicine's understanding of the kidney is more extensive than the "kidney" in modern medical anatomy. It believes that the kidney is an extremely important organ in the human body with multiple functions; it contains Yuan Yin and Yuan Yang (another name for the Yin and Yang of the kidney), is the home of water and fire, and is the innate foundation and the root of life. In traditional Chinese medicine, the kidneys, bladder, bone marrow, brain, hair, ears, and two yin organs form a system.

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the kidney is the foundation of the innate constitution, embodying the original yin and yang: the innate foundation refers to the foundation of a person's body, "When a person is born, the essence is formed first", and the kidney stores the essence, so the kidney is the foundation of the innate constitution. Yuanyin refers to yin essence, and Yuanyang refers to yuanqi. Yuanyin and Yuanyang play a decisive role in human life activities - from conception to development and growth.

The kidneys store essence and are responsible for growth and development: The kidneys store essence and use qi, which is related to human growth and development. The strength of kidney qi is directly related to a person's growth and development, and even the entire process of aging, and is also related to a person's reproductive ability.

Throughout the life process, it is the changes in the rise and fall of the essence and qi in the kidneys that lead to different physiological states of birth, growth, maturity, aging and death. From childhood, kidney essence gradually becomes abundant. When one reaches young adulthood, the kidney essence becomes further abundant, even reaching its peak, making the body strong, with firm tendons and bones. But when people get old, their kidney essence declines, their body gradually ages, their muscles and bones become inflexible, their teeth become loose and their hair falls out, and they appear old and frail. To give an analogy, if a person is a big tree, the kidneys are like the roots of the tree. Only when the roots are deep can the leaves be lush. Similarly, only when the kidneys are healthy can the body be healthy. In the clinical treatment of growth and development disorders, tonifying the kidney is one of the important treatment methods; tonifying the kidney and replenishing essence is an important means to delay aging and treat senile diseases.

Its main physiological functions are:

1. Stores essence and is the basic substance for human reproduction, hematopoiesis, growth and development, and defense against disease;

2. Balance the body's water metabolism and cooperate with the bladder to excrete urine;

3. Responsible for taking in air and coordinating breathing movements;

4. It helps in bone and marrow production, nourishes the brain and improves intelligence;

5. Promote hair growth;

6. Kidney Qi flows to the ears and controls hearing;

7. Control the opening and closing of the two yin.