Urinary tract and genitals

Complaints of the urinary tract and genitals can range from frequent urination or urine leakage to recurring bladder problems, pelvic complaints or sexual problems. Some complaints arise suddenly, while others develop gradually or return regularly. They can affect daily activities, sleep, intimacy and quality of life.

The causes differ greatly. Urinary complaints can, for example, be related to a urinary tract infection, an overactive bladder, pelvic floor problems or prostate complaints. With sexual complaints, physical, hormonal and psychological factors can all play a role.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can be used for various complaints, depending on the cause and personal situation. On the individual complaint pages you can read in more detail about specific urinary, genital and sexual complaints.

Common complaints

Complaints can relate to urination, the bladder, the pelvis or sexual function. Common complaints are:

The nature and cause of these complaints can differ greatly. On the individual complaint pages you can read more about possible causes, treatment and when further medical investigation is important.

Western conditions

Complaints of the urinary tract and genitals can occur with various conditions. Sometimes the cause is relatively easy to establish, while with long-standing complaints several factors may be involved. Examples are:

A medical diagnosis can provide important information about the cause and treatment. New, severe or unexplained complaints, blood in the urine, fever with urinary complaints or problems passing urine require medical assessment.

Which conditions are relevant differs per complaint. The individual complaint pages go into this in more detail.

Possible causes

Urinary and genital complaints can have various causes. Infections can, for example, cause pain, burning and frequent urgency. Problems with the pelvic floor can contribute to urine leakage, urinary problems, pain or sexual complaints.

Hormonal changes, pregnancy and childbirth, ageing, neurological conditions, certain medicines and conditions of the bladder or prostate can also play a role. With sexual complaints, vascular problems, hormones, medication, stress and other psychological factors can be of influence as well.

Which factors are relevant differs greatly per complaint. That is why a consultation looks at the onset and course of the complaints and at other physical or mental factors that may be related to the overall picture.

What can acupuncture do?

The acupuncture treatment is tailored to the specific complaint and your personal situation. With recurring urgency, for example, different treatment principles may be central than with urine leakage, chronic pelvic pain or erectile problems.

Depending on the complaint, a treatment can focus on:

Chinese medicine also looks at the underlying TCM pattern. Which treatment principles are relevant differs per complaint. On the individual complaint pages you can read in more detail how acupuncture can be applied.

What can Chinese herbal medicine do?

Chinese herbal medicine can be used for various urinary and genital complaints, sometimes in combination with acupuncture. The herbs are tailored to the specific complaints and the underlying TCM pattern.

Depending on the pattern, a herbal treatment can focus on:

Because herbs are taken daily, they can also support the body in between treatments. The treatment of acute urinary complaints, for example, differs greatly from that of chronic urinary or sexual complaints.

On the individual complaint pages you can read in more detail what role Chinese herbal medicine can play with specific complaints.

How does Chinese medicine view these complaints?

Western medicine looks among other things at the bladder, urinary tract, kidneys, prostate, pelvic floor, hormones and other possible causes. Chinese medicine also looks at how the complaints present and which other symptoms are present at the same time.

Important information is, for example, how often someone urinates, the quantity and colour of the urine, any urgency, urine leakage, pain or burning, and whether the complaints occur during the day or at night. With sexual or genital complaints, the nature and course of these complaints are taken into account as well.

In Chinese medicine the Kidneys and Bladder in particular play an important role. These are TCM organ systems and not the same as the anatomical organs from Western medicine. The Bladder is associated with the storage and excretion of urine. The Kidneys have a broader meaning and are linked among other things to fluid regulation, reproduction, sexual function and the changes that occur over the course of life.

The Spleen can be involved as well, for example when insufficient support and control go together with urine leakage. The Liver can play a role when tension, pain or sexual complaints go together with an obstructed flow of Qi.

In addition, concepts such as Damp, Heat and Cold are used to distinguish between different pictures. Damp-Heat can, for example, go together with burning and frequent urgency, while a shortage of warming function may rather fit with plentiful clear urine, night-time urination and feeling cold.

A recognisable combination of these features and other symptoms is called a TCM pattern. As a result, two people with the same Western diagnosis can nevertheless be treated differently within Chinese medicine.

Only a few common patterns are described below. Other patterns are possible and several patterns can occur at the same time. Not everyone with the same pattern has all of the symptoms mentioned. Which pattern is present is established on the basis of the overall picture of complaints. On the individual complaint pages you can read in more detail which patterns occur with specific urinary, genital and sexual complaints.

Common TCM patterns

Damp-Heat in the Bladder

In Chinese medicine Damp-Heat is used for urinary complaints in which irritation, warmth and fluid are prominent. This is mainly a pattern for relatively active complaints and differs from patterns in which weakness is central.

Common symptoms:

Examples of Western conditions: urinary tract infection, cystitis and some forms of prostatitis.

Kidney Qi deficiency

In Chinese medicine the Kidneys play an important role in the regulation and control of the urinary tract. When this function is weakened, it can become harder to hold urine properly or the bladder can signal more often.

Common symptoms:

Examples of Western conditions: urinary incontinence, overactive bladder and some long-standing urinary problems.

Kidney Yang deficiency

In Chinese medicine Yang describes among other things warming and activating functions. When Kidney Yang is weakened, urinary and sexual complaints can go together with clear cold and a general reduction in energy.

Common symptoms:

Examples of Western conditions: night-time urination, some forms of urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction and other long-standing functional complaints.

Kidney Yin deficiency

In Chinese medicine Yin represents among other things the nourishing, moistening and cooling functions of the body. When Kidney Yin is insufficient, urinary or sexual complaints can go together with dryness and relative warmth.

Common symptoms:

Examples of Western conditions: some long-standing urinary and sexual complaints and complaints related to hormonal changes with ageing.

Liver Qi stagnation

In Chinese medicine the Liver is associated with the free flow of Qi. When this flow is obstructed, tension and stress can affect the pelvic area, bladder function and sexual function.

Common symptoms:

Examples of Western conditions: chronic pelvic pain, pelvic floor complaints and some forms of sexual dysfunction.

These patterns give a general picture of how urinary, genital and sexual complaints can be distinguished within Chinese medicine. With an overactive bladder, for example, different patterns may be central than with recurring urinary complaints, pelvic pain or erectile problems. That is why this is described in more detail on the individual complaint pages.

Prognosis

How a course of treatment develops depends on the specific complaint, the cause, the severity, how long the complaints have been present and your personal situation. Acute complaints generally follow a different course than urinary, pelvic or sexual complaints that have been present for a longer time.

With severe complaints, a higher treatment frequency may be appropriate at first. Long-standing or complex complaints generally require more time, and the treatment plan can be adjusted during the course of treatment as the complaints develop.

Because the course differs greatly per condition, the individual complaint pages describe in more detail what you can expect from a course of treatment for that specific complaint.

Contact

Do you suffer from complaints of the urinary tract or genitals and would you like to know whether acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine can mean something for you? During a first consultation we discuss your complaints, medical history and any underlying factors in detail. On that basis a treatment plan is drawn up that suits your personal situation. You can book an appointment online right away or get in touch for more information.

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