↑ reinforcing ↓ reducing ⊥ even method.
Clinical manifestations: Burning or stinging urination; frequent, urgent urination with small volume; cloudy, dark yellow urine; scrotal dampness; a heavy, dragging sensation in the legs and lower body; thirst without much desire to drink.
Tongue: Red, slightly swollen, yellow greasy coating thickest at the root. Pulse: Slippery and rapid, sometimes soggy, pronounced at the rear position.
Treatment principle: Clears Heat, drains Fire, promotes urination and relieves stranguria.
Note: no moxa. Linked to this site's own Damp-Heat-in-the-Liver slide, its established Lower-Burner Damp-Heat convention.
2. Qi and Blood Stagnation
Clinical manifestations: Fixed, stabbing pain in the perineum, lower belly or lower back, worse with pressure or prolonged sitting; urinary dribbling and urethral stinging; a dark purple tongue with stasis spots; irritability or mood swings.
Tongue: Dark purple with stasis spots, distended sublingual veins, thin white coat. Pulse: Wiry and choppy.
Treatment principle: Invigorates Blood, dispels stasis, warms the channels and moves Qi to alleviate pain.
Note: no moxa. No combined Qi-and-Blood-stagnation slide exists on this site's decks — no pattern link is given here.
Clinical manifestations: Perineal distension and bloating; chest tightness and frequent sighing; emotional irritability or depression; a lump-in-the-throat sensation; worse with stress and frustration.
Tongue: Normal or slightly dark with red or purplish sides, thin white coat. Pulse: Wiry, taut like a guitar string.
Treatment principle: Courses the Liver, resolves constraint, moves Qi and invigorates Blood.
Note: no moxa.
Clinical manifestations: Soreness and weakness of the lower back and knees; night sweats; a dry mouth and throat especially at night; five-centre heat; scanty, dark yellow urine without strong burning; nocturnal emissions or premature ejaculation; insomnia with vivid dreams.
Tongue: Red, thin, dry, little or no coating, possible cracks. Pulse: Fine and rapid.
Treatment principle: Nourishes Kidney Yin and clears deficiency Heat.
Note: no moxa (Yin deficiency with heat signs).
Clinical manifestations: Cold and aching lower back and knees; frequent clear urination especially at night; deep fatigue and low spirits; reduced libido or erectile dysfunction; aversion to cold worse in the lower body; loose stools or early-morning diarrhea.
Tongue: Pale, puffy, tender, teeth-marked, wet white coating. Pulse: Deep, slow, weak, especially at the rear positions.
Treatment principle: Tonifies Kidney Yang, benefits Essence, fills the marrow and warms the Gate of Life Fire.
Note: moxa is strongly indicated.
Clinical manifestations: Cold, cramping lower abdominal pain pulling toward the groin or testicles; scrotal contraction or testicular cold pain; symptoms worsen with cold exposure and improve with warmth; a cold feeling in the lower belly and cold limbs.
Tongue: Pale with white slippery coating, moist. Pulse: Deep, wiry, slow or tight.
Treatment principle: Warms the Liver and Kidneys, moves Qi and dispels Cold from the Liver channel.
Note: moxa is strongly indicated.