Chinese Medicine & Kidney Disease

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is based on the beliefs and practices of the Chinese culture. It has been developed and employed over thousands of years, using herbal medicine, acupuncture, acupressure and qigong to cure illness and disease, including kidney disease.

Herbal Medicine for Kidney Disease

• Herbs such as punarnava, varuna, tribulus, red sandalwood, shigru and apamarg are recommended to restore the health of the kidney by reducing fluid and swelling.

Acupuncture for Kidney Disease

• Acupuncture aids the flow of "clean" energy into the body to release the energy that is promoting the illness. Tonification needles are inserted into the specific sites of the body that promote kidney function.

Acupressure for Kidney Disease

• In acupressure, manual pressure is applied and held to acupuncture points. To promote kidney health, the practitioner presses several specific points on the foot, ankle and near the second lumbar vertebrae for three to 10 seconds at a time, over a period of 15 minutes to an hour.

Qigong for Kidney Disease

• Pronounced "ch'i kung," this collection of exercises involves meditative and physical movements. A particular set of exercises are designed to nourish, strengthen and heal the kidney.

Dietary Recommendations

• For kidney disease, traditional Chinese medicine promotes increasing the intake of raw foods, a reduction of meat and spinach in the diet, and the elimination of chocolate and dairy, including eggs. Six to eight glasses of water daily are recommended.

Practitioners

• Commonly, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners are acupuncturists who are also trained in Chinese herbal medicine. The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine can provide you with a list of board-certified practitioners in your area.