Bedwetting/Enuresis

While bedwetting is considered difficult to treat in the West, it is very easy to treat with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). TCM understands bedwetting in children as a Kidney function disorder. The Kidney and the Bladder have a close relationship in TCM theory—they are partner organs of the Water element. This means that any difficulty with one can strongly affect the other. Bedwetting seems to be about the Bladder, but its root cause is really Kidney dysfunction. In simple terms, the Kidney does not have enough energy to control the Bladder.

Usually only one or two TCM treatments are necessary to address and resolve this type of problem because an energy deficiency is much easier to treat in a child—their energy is still strong and vibrant. To use a car engine as an analogy, there is nothing wrong with the engine—the child's Kidney—it is still perfectly fine. It just needs a tune-up.

TCM Tips for Healing

Throughout the ages TCM has treated this condition in children using the following approaches:

• Herbs: There is a classical herbal formula called Jin Gui Shen Qi Pian that can help this condition by strengthening the Kidney.
• Moxibustion is very beneficial. Moxibustion is a TCM healing technique that uses a compressed herbal material, which is lit and placed close to the body to heat a specific acupoint or meridian. You can heat the lower back area and also behind the knees (near acupoint UB (Urinary Bladder) 40).
• Acupressure is also very beneficial. Rub the lower back area and the back of the legs with cinnamon oil. Rub these areas until they are hot and then put a heating pad on the lower back area. Be sure to monitor the child and not let the back area get too hot.
• Rebalancing the emotions: TCM recognizes that emotions are a very strong component in many conditions. In a sense, bedwetting puts the child in a position of "losing face." So it is very important that the parents and family members encourage the child and give him or her support. Also, don't push the child too hard in terms of competition at this time.