In daily life, we often hear statements like this: “My lower back hurts so much recently; I must have kidney deficiency!”
Such remarks are common in our lives, especially among men. Lumbar pain, this seemingly simple symptom, really means kidney deficiency? Do we need to blindly tonify the kidneys due to lumbar pain? Today, let’s delve into this topic.
Lumbar Pain: A Prelude to Kidney Deficiency?
When we feel lumbar pain, the first reaction is often to suspect kidney deficiency. However, this intuitive judgment is often too one-sided. Lumbar pain can actually be caused by various reasons, and kidney deficiency is only one of them.
- Lumbar Spine Diseases: The Culprit That Cannot Be Ignored
Lumbar disc herniation is one of the most common causes of lumbar pain. Patients often feel persistent dull pain in the lumbar region, which is alleviated when lying flat and aggravated when standing.
This pain is generally tolerable, and although lumbar activities are limited, patients can still move moderately or walk slowly. However, some patients may suddenly experience spasmodic lumbar pain, which is exacerbated by coughing and sneezing, severely affecting life and work.
Besides lumbar disc herniation, lumbar spine diseases such as lumbar spine fractures and lumbar spondylolisthesis may also cause lumbar pain. These diseases are often related to trauma and strain, and require professional medical diagnosis and treatment.
- Inflammatory Lumbar Pain: Hidden and Persistent
Inflammatory diseases such as degenerative spondylitis, tuberculous spondylitis, and pyogenic spondylitis are also important causes of lumbar pain. These diseases are more common in people over 50 years old, with lumbar pain being particularly evident in the morning, accompanied by soreness, stiffness, and limited mobility.
After moving the lumbar spine, the pain will improve somewhat, but excessive activity will aggravate the lumbar pain. Accompanying symptoms often include low fever, night sweats, fatigue, and loss of appetite. These diseases require prompt medical attention to avoid severe spinal deformities, abscesses, and spinal cord compression. - Lumbar Muscle Problems: Troubles for Sedentary People
Lumbar muscle strain, lumbar myofibrositis, and other lumbar muscle diseases are also common causes of lumbar pain. These diseases are often related to factors such as improper sitting posture for a long time and incomplete treatment of lumbar sprains.
Patients may feel lumbar pain, soreness, stiffness, and severe cases may even be unable to walk upright. - Urological Problems: Hidden Health Threats
Urological problems such as nephritis, pyelonephritis, kidney stones, nephroptosis, and hydronephrosis may also cause lumbar pain. The location and nature of lumbar pain caused by these diseases vary and require diagnosis and treatment based on specific conditions.
For example, nephritis often causes deep dull pain in the lumbar-rib triangle area; pyelonephritis manifests as obvious lumbar pain and percussion pain; kidney stones are mostly characterized by severe cramping pain with severe percussion pain. - Tumors and Other Diseases: Potential Risks That Cannot Be Ignored
Spinal tumors, pelvic diseases, chest and abdominal diseases may also cause lumbar pain. These diseases often manifest as persistent and severe lumbar pain that is difficult to relieve with rest and medication.
In addition, male diseases such as prostate cancer and prostatitis, as well as female diseases such as chronic adnexitis, cervicitis, uterine prolapse, menstrual disorders, and pelvic inflammatory disease, may also cause pain in the lumbar-sacral region.
Kidney Deficiency: Traditional Chinese Medicine Concept and Modern Interpretation
In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory, “kidney deficiency” is an important concept. So, what is “kidney deficiency” exactly? And what is its relationship with the “kidney” in modern anatomical terms?
TCM Perspective: Kidney Deficiency and Life Essence
TCM believes that the kidney is one of the five zang organs of the human body and is internally-externally related to the bladder. The kidney governs the storage of essence, including congenital essence and acquired essence, and is responsible for growth, development, and reproduction. Therefore, “kidney deficiency” in TCM refers to the insufficiency of kidney essence, qi, and yin-yang. There are many types of kidney deficiency, with kidney yin deficiency and kidney yang deficiency being the most common.
When a person experiences kidney deficiency, whether kidney yin deficiency or kidney yang deficiency, their immune capacity will decrease.
At the same time, kidney deficiency will also affect sexual function, leading to symptoms such as decreased sexual interest and desire, impotence or weak erection, ejaculation, premature ejaculation, and semen leakage in men; while women may experience uterine hypoplasia, premature ovarian failure, amenorrhea, menstrual disorders, decreased sexual desire, infertility, and other issues.
Western Medicine Perspective: Physiological Functions of the Kidneys
Western medicine believes that the kidneys are one of the main excretory organs of the human body, with one on the left and one on the right, located on both sides of the lumbar vertebrae. The kidneys belong to the urinary system and are responsible for filtering impurities in the blood, maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance, and producing urine that is excreted through the urethra.
At the same time, the kidneys also have endocrine functions to regulate blood pressure and other physiological functions. Although the kidneys and male reproductive organs belong to the urinary system, Western medicine believes that there is no direct relationship between the kidneys and sexual function.
Tonifying the Kidneys: Misconceptions and Correct Practices
Since lumbar pain is not necessarily caused by kidney deficiency, blindly tonifying the kidneys is obviously not advisable. In real life, there are many misconceptions and misunderstandings regarding tonifying the kidneys.
Misconception 1: Tonifying the Kidneys Equals Enhancing Yang
Many people believe that tonifying the kidneys means enhancing yang, which is a common misconception.
Tonifying the kidneys in TCM is a complex concept that includes nourishing yin and enhancing yang. Therefore, tonifying the kidneys cannot be simply equated with enhancing yang.
Misconception 2: Eager for Quick Success
Many people pursue quick results in tonifying the kidneys and hope to achieve their goals by consuming a large amount of tonics in a short period of time. However, this approach often backfires, not only failing to achieve the desired effect but also potentially causing harm to physical health.
Misconception 3: Abusing Tonics
The market is flooded with various tonics and health supplements for tonifying the kidneys, but not all tonics are suitable for everyone. Abusing tonics may increase the body’s burden and even lead to new diseases.
Correct Practices: Scientific Health Preservation
Instead of relying on tonics, it is better to maintain health through a reasonable diet, appropriate exercise, and healthy sleep patterns. In terms of diet, one can consume more foods rich in high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals; in terms of exercise, one can choose suitable aerobic exercises such as walking, jogging, swimming, etc.; in terms of sleep, one should ensure sufficient sleep duration and good sleep quality.
Furthermore, for symptoms such as lumbar pain, one should seek medical attention promptly and receive professional diagnosis and treatment. Identifying the cause of the disease and treating it through scientific medical means is the correct approach.
Lumbar pain does not necessarily mean kidney deficiency, and blindly tonifying the kidneys is not advisable. We should maintain physical health through scientific diet, exercise, and sleep patterns, and seek prompt medical attention and professional diagnosis and treatment when experiencing symptoms such as lumbar pain.
Only in this way can we truly get rid of the troubles of lumbar pain and maintain our physical health.
