What is Water Retention in TCM?

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) clinics, a significant number of patients present with issues related to “water retention” or “Shui Yin.” Today, let’s discuss what water retention means in TCM, and the potential health impacts it can have.

In TCM, water retention, or Shui Yin, refers to problems in the body’s water metabolism. When the body cannot efficiently absorb, circulate, or expel fluids, excess “waste water” remains, causing various health issues. Here are some common symptoms associated with internal water retention:

1. Persistent Thirst: Even after drinking a considerable amount of water, a person may still feel thirsty. This is because waste water can disrupt normal water absorption.

2. Frequent Urination: An urge to visit the bathroom often can indicate water retention.

3. Direct Water Loss: Drinking water quickly passes as urine, indicating poor water metabolism.

4. Dizziness: A classic symptom, particularly when changing positions.

5. Chronic Cough: Often worse when lying down, a persistent cough that doesn’t improve could be due to internal water retention.

6. High Blood Pressure:  In some cases, internal water retention can raise blood pressure by increasing internal pressure.

7. Swelling:  Puffiness in the eyelids, limbs, or other parts of the body is often related to water issues.

8. Weight Gain or Obesity:  Some cases of obesity are attributed to excess internal water—these individuals may even feel like they “gain weight from drinking water.”

9. Difficulty Urinating:Trouble with urination, despite drinking enough fluids, may also relate to water retention.

10. Cold or Painful Back:  Cold sensations or discomfort in the back are possible signs of water metabolism issues.

In addition to these, abnormal water circulation can cause a range of other health problems. So, what can we do daily to help reduce the chances of water retention? Here are a few approaches:

1. Drink Water Wisely:

The “eight glasses a day” rule has led to kidney qi deficiency in many individuals, resulting in the buildup of waste water. Instead of following this rule, drink according to your body’s needs. Overconsumption based on popular advice may do more harm than good.

2. Avoid Cold Water if You’re Yang-Deficient or Have a Weak Constitution:

For people with low yang energy, cold water can be harder to metabolize as their bodies lack the warmth needed to process it. This can lead to issues in water circulation, as the body cannot effectively warm and utilize the fluid.

3. Seek TCM Treatment for Persistent Water Retention:

Treating water retention often requires a skilled TCM practitioner’s diagnosis. Different types of water retention occur in various parts of the body, each requiring specific methods of treatment. Water retention can interact with other health conditions—such as blood stasis or phlegm buildup—creating complex symptoms that demand precise diagnosis.

Water retention in TCM is not a simple, unchanging condition. When water retention encounters heat, it can transform into phlegm, and if combined with blood stasis, it can lead to a host of other health issues, including lumps or even tumors. Thus, water retention is not to be overlooked, as it is a condition closely related to many potential health problems.