The syndrome/pattern of kidney failing to receive qi refers to a series of symptoms caused by kidney deficiency where qi fails to return to its origin, and the kidney loses its ability to receive qi. It is often due to overexertion damaging kidney qi or prolonged deficiency of pestilent qi.

The main clinical manifestations include: shortness of breath, inability to sustain breathing, more exhaling than inhaling, relief only upon inhaling, worsened panting upon exertion, severe cases may present with cold sweating and limbs, frequent urination accompanying coughing, pale tongue texture, and deep, thin pulse.

The syndrome/pattern of kidney failing to receive qi is commonly seen in conditions such as "wheezing syndrome" and "wheezing disease."

This syndrome should typically be differentiated from the "kidney qi insecurity syndrome/pattern" and the "kidney qi deficiency syndrome/pattern."

bubble_chart Differentiation and Treatment

The syndrome/pattern of kidney failing to receive qi

1. is seen in wheezing syndrome, characterized by worsened panting upon exertion and shortness of breath. It is often caused by prolonged panting, with the disease deeply affecting the kidneys. Treatment should focus on improving qi reception and relieving dyspnea, and the formula Shen Ge San (Chinese Medicine Formula Clinical Manual) combined withSeven-Ingredient Qi-Astringing Pill (from "Yizong Jiren Bian") is recommended.
2. When seen in wheezing disease, it is characterized by wheezing sounds in the throat, shortness of breath, and frothy sputum. It is often caused by long-term wheezing leading to kidney qi deficiency, lower deficiency and upper excess, and abnormal qi reception. Treatment should focus on improving qi reception and relieving dyspnea to stabilize wheezing, and the formulaKidney Qi Pill (fromJingui Yaolue) is recommended, with modifications based on yin-yang differentiation.

The syndrome/pattern of kidney failing to receive qi is a critical symptom and sign within the syndrome/pattern of kidney deficiency. If it worsens further, it may be accompanied by symptoms such as cold sweating, cyanosis, and severe palpitation, indicating a syndrome/pattern of collapse, which must be taken very seriously.

1. Kidney qi insecurity syndrome/pattern and syndrome/pattern of kidney failing to receive qi: Both syndromes belong to kidney qi deficiency syndrome/pattern. However, the syndrome/pattern of kidney failing to receive qi is often caused by overwork and desire damaging the kidney, or internal damage to essential qi after a severe or prolonged illness; or prolonged panting leading to depletion of lung qi and yin, which cannot nourish the kidney, resulting in damage to the true essence of the kidney and an unstable foundation. This leads to qi losing its ability to contain and rising upward to the lung, causing rebellious qi rushing and resulting in panting, more exhalation than inhalation, and worsening with activity. The disease cause of kidney qi insecurity syndrome/pattern is congenital insufficiency or overwork damaging kidney qi, with clinical manifestations characterized by symptoms of bladder incontinence and unsecured essence gate, which can be used for differentiation.
2. Kidney qi deficiency syndrome/pattern and syndrome/pattern of kidney failing to receive qi: Both syndromes belong to the syndrome/pattern of kidney deficiency, and the syndrome/pattern of kidney failing to receive qi generally includes symptoms of kidney qi deficiency. The difference is that the disease cause of kidney qi deficiency syndrome/pattern is broader, which can be caused by congenital insufficiency or acquired overwork, with clinical manifestations generally showing symptoms of original qi deficiency; the disease cause of the syndrome/pattern of kidney failing to receive qi is mostly due to lung qi deficiency, which further affects kidney qi and leads to loss of its containing function, with clinical manifestations showing symptoms of kidney deficiency and qi failing to return to its origin, and the kidney losing its ability to receive qi. The two can be distinguished.

bubble_chart Documentation

1. Renzhai Zhizhi Fang：「True essence depletion, panting arises from the upward rush of kidney qi.」
2. Leizheng Zhicai：「Panting caused by external contraction is treated by focusing on the lungs, while that caused by internal damage is treated by focusing on the kidneys, as the lungs govern the expulsion of qi and the kidneys govern the reception of qi. Obstruction in the expulsion of qi leading to panting is a lung disease, while difficulty in inhaling leading to panting is a kidney disease.」