Under this heading it is possible to include conditions such as cystitis, urethritis, bladder stones, kidney stones, etc. In Chinese medicine these conditions all fall under the category of 'Lin syndrome', with pain on urination being the main characteristic. Urination is often short, painful, frequent and with a sense of urgency.

Although pain on urination is the primary symptom, additional symptoms give a more detailed diagnosis. The Chinese category of 'Lin Syndromes' can be further broken down into five categories.

If the urine is usually dark yellow or even reddish, this would usually indicate heat. Sometimes the urine is also cloudy and in Chinese medicine this points to 'Damp in the Bladder'. Damp is like a turbidity which develops when the 'clear' fluids and the 'dirty' fluids are not separated properly. Thus, this condition is termed 'Damp Heat in the Bladder'. There may be other accompanying symptoms such as burning on urination, lower back pain, feeling hot, etc.

Urinary stones are termed 'Stone Lin Syndrome' in Chinese medicine. These result in very painful, difficult urination that often stops and starts. There may also be excruciating pain in the lower abdomen and the urine is typically dark yellow, or bloody.

Sometimes urination is interrupted, or slow and painful but the urine is normal colour. There may also be some bloated feeling in the lower abdomen. In this case the energy in the lower part of the body is not moving smoothly and acupuncture aims to restore this. This condition is the easiest to treat.

Sometimes the energy is very depleted in the lower abdominal area (and elsewhere). In this case urination is more painful and difficult when feeling particularly tired, fatigued, and after overexertion. There may be accompanying lower back pain, or a bearing down sensation in the lower abdomen.

All these conditions can be treated with acupuncture, although there are times when Chinese herbs may also be needed, in which case I will be able to refer you to a good herbalist if this is necessary.

I would also recommend visiting your GP and he/ she may decide to do some further tests or scans.