Skip to main content

Kidney Yin Deficiency

Meaning

Kidney Yin Deficiency is a core diagnostic pattern within Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that describes a depletion of the body’s cooling, nourishing, and moistening essence, often associated with chronic aging and hormonal decline. Clinically, this pattern manifests as signs of “empty heat,” such as night sweats, hot flashes, dry mouth, and chronic fatigue, which often overlap with symptoms of hormonal changes like perimenopause. This deficiency reflects a failure to adequately moisten and anchor the body’s metabolic fire. It is a concept used to guide the selection of specific herbal and acupuncture treatments aimed at restoration.