In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), chronic kidney disease (CKD) is typically understood as a manifestation of kidney qi deficiency, which can be further categorized into different patterns based on the accompanying symptoms and signs.
Kidney Qi Deficiency: This pattern is characterized by fatigue, weakness, lassitude, lower back pain, frequent urination, and a pale tongue with a white coating.
Kidney Yin Deficiency: This pattern is characterized by dry mouth and throat, night sweats, dizziness, tinnitus, hot flashes, and a red tongue with little or no coating.
Kidney Yang Deficiency: This pattern is characterized by cold limbs, aversion to cold, edema, frequent urination, and a pale tongue with a white coating.
Kidney Essence Deficiency: This pattern is characterized by infertility, premature ejaculation, impotence, hair loss, and a thin or weak constitution.
Damp-Heat in the Kidney: This pattern is characterized by a burning sensation when urinating, dark and turbid urine, lower back pain, and a yellow or greasy tongue coating.