To prevent kidney deficiency, one must first understand the extent of their own condition. Symptoms of kidney deficiency include: frequent nighttime urination, fatigue, lower back and leg weakness, insomnia and vivid dreams, chest tightness and shortness of breath, tinnitus or hearing loss, hair loss and loose teeth, susceptibility to colds, and cold extremities.
Here are nine symptoms of kidney deficiency for comparison:
Symptom 1: Cold intolerance and cold limbs - "Cold intolerance" refers to the feeling of being afraid of cold and wind. "Cold limbs" refers to cold hands and feet, sometimes even extending to the elbows and knees. "Cold intolerance and cold limbs" often accompany symptoms of kidney deficiency such as soreness in the waist and knees, lethargy, shortness of breath, and lack of thirst.
Symptom 2: Excessive sexual activity - In traditional Chinese medicine, the kidneys store essence. Kidney essence generates yin and yang energy, which nourish and warm the five organs and six腑(fu) organs. Kidney yin and yang mutually depend on and restrict each other, maintaining physiological balance. If this balance is disrupted or one side weakens, illness can occur. Men may experience erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, spermatorrhea, and other conditions.
Symptom 3: Dizziness, weakness, insomnia, and vivid dreams - The kidneys nourish and warm other organs. If other organs suffer from long-term illness, it can easily harm the kidneys. Many chronic diseases, such as chronic hepatitis, coronary heart disease, bronchial asthma, and hypertension, often accompany symptoms of kidney deficiency.
Symptom 4: Asthma - The kidneys have the function of "absorbing qi." Due to kidney deficiency and inability to absorb qi, shortness of breath and rapid breathing can occur, making it difficult to breathe comfortably. In severe cases, accompanied by asthma, symptoms like increased difficulty in breathing and profuse cold sweat may appear.
Symptom 5: Lower back pain - Lower back pain fundamentally stems from kidney deficiency, which can be divided into internal injury and overstrain. Internal injury kidney deficiency generally refers to congenital insufficiency, long-term illness, or excessive fatigue. Mild cases may find it hard to bend or stand straight, while severe cases may experience heel pain and weakness in the waist; Overstrain refers to excessive physical burden or prolonged work in a fixed posture (using a computer, driving, etc.), which over time can damage kidney qi, leading to insufficient kidney essence.
Symptom 6: Frequent nighttime urination - Generally, if nighttime urination occurs more than twice, or the urine volume exceeds one-quarter of the total daily output, it falls under "frequent nighttime urination." In severe cases, nighttime urination may occur every hour with a volume approaching or exceeding daytime urine volume. This condition is often due to weak kidney qi.
Symptom 7: Dizziness and tinnitus - Many people have experienced dizziness, characterized by blurred vision, vertigo, nausea, and vomiting, which is not a pleasant sensation. Dizziness patients often experience tinnitus that interferes with hearing and could lead to deafness over time. Causes of dizziness and tinnitus are often related to liver and kidney issues. According to traditional Chinese medicine, "the kidneys store essence and generate marrow, which gathers in the brain," so kidney deficiency can cause insufficient marrow, resulting in dizziness and tinnitus.
Symptom 8: Constipation - People suffering from constipation often experience anal fissures, hemorrhoids, and other symptoms, affecting work and life significantly. Although constipation is due to abnormal transmission function of the large intestine, its root cause lies in kidney deficiency because the kidneys open to the two yins and control bowel movements. Bowel movement requires stimulation and nourishment from kidney qi to function normally.
Symptom 9: Lower back and leg pain, frequent urination - Sitting rigidly in a car for long periods, combined with mental tension from driving, can eventually lead to stagnation of qi and blood stasis, ultimately causing kidney deficiency.