Insufficiency of the kidney yang

Clinical manifestations : Pallor, cold limbs, soreness and weakness of the lumbar region and knee joints, impotence, infertility, dizziness, tinnitus, a pale tongue with white coating and a deep, weak pulse.

Etiology and pathology : This syndrome may be due to a constitutional deficiency of yang, or weakness of the kidney in old age. It may also be due to a prolonged illness, or to excessive sexual activity, both of which may - injure the kidney and produce deficiency of the kidney yang. In yang deficiency, the warming function of yang is impaired, hence cold limbs and pallor. Deficiency of the kidney yang deprives the bones, ears, brain, marrow of nourishment and may cause soreness of the lumbar region and weakness of the knee joints, dizziness and tinnitus. When the kidney yang is insufficient, the reproductive function is impaired with impotence in men, and infertility ( due to cold uterus ) in women resulting. A pale tongue with white coating and a deep, weak pulse are both signs of insufficiency of the kidney yang.