Reflexology treatment for Nephritis

Nephritis, also called glomerulonephritis, is a disease of both kidneys caused by the invasion of external pathogens and dysfunction of lung, spleen and kidney. In acute nephritis, the patient may suffer from edema, hypertension, hematuria, proteinuria, chills and fever. In chronic nephritis the patient may suffer from edema, hypertension, weakness, and pale complexion.
   
Differential diagnosis: Patients with wind edema may suffer from edema of eyelids first which rapidly spreads to the limbs and entire body, soreness and heaviness of limbs, stanguria, red tongue, and floating, rolling and rapid pulse. Patients with edema caused by invasion of toxic pathogens from sores on the body surface may have furuncles or skin infection first, and then suffer from fever, edema, discharge of short streams of dark urine or hematuria, red tip and borders of tongue with thin and yellow coating, and rapid pulse. Patients with deficiency of spleen and kidney may suffer from general malaise, poor appetite, and small amount of protein and red blood cells in urine. Patients with deficiency of spleen and kidney qi may suffer from weakness, poor appetite, edema of feet, and small or medium amounts of prQtein in urine. Patients with deficiency of spleen and kidney Yang may suffer from severe edema of the whole body, cold body and limbs, poor appetite, oliguria and loose stool. And patients with deficiency of fiver and kidney Y'm may suffer from headache, dizziness, vertigo, anger, flushed face, chest distress, hypertension, red tongue, and wiry and thready pulse.
   
Treatment:
Foot massage: The massage is applied to kidney (22), ureter (23), urinary bladder (24), spleen (34), liver (18), lung (14), lymph nodes (abdomen, 40) and adrenal gland (21) reflecting areas (Fig. 66).

Foot acupuncture:
1) Meridianal acupoints: At Jiexi (ST 41), Xiangu (ST43), Taibai (SP3), Taixi (KI ), Shuiquan (KI 5), Xingjian (LR2) and Taichong (LR 3) acupoints, a reducing technique is applied to patients with wind edema or edema caused by invasion of toxic
pathogens from external sores, and a reinforcing technique is applied to patients with deficiency of spleen and kidney or deficiency of liver and kidney Yang. The needles are retained for 20 minutes, and moxibustion after acupuncture may be applied to patients with wind edema, deficiency of spleen and kidney qi, or Yang deficiency.

2) Extra acupoint: A balanced reinforce-reducing technique is applied at Erzhishang (EX-F 16) acupoint and the needle is retained for 20 minutes.

3) Foot acupoints: At Kidney (FA-P 14), Spleen (FA-P 10) and Urinary bladder (FA-P 15) acupoints, a moderate twisting stimulation is applied and the needles are retained for 15 minutes. Liver (FA-P 9) acupoint may be added for patients with deficiency of liver and kidney Yin, and moxibustion after acupuncture may be applied to patients with wind edema, deficiency of spleen and kidney qi or deficiency of
Yang.

External application of drugs:
1) Acute and chronic nephritis: One bulb of garlic with purple skin peeled and Bimazi (castor bean) 60-70 grains with skin peeled are pounded to prepare a paste and divided into two portions for application over Yongquan (KI 1) acupoints on both soles for 7 days and affixed by a piece of transparent paper. If this is not effective, a new preparation may be applied for another 7 days.

2) Chronic nephritis: Shisuan (lycoris bulb) 2-3 bulbs and Bimazi (castor bean) 70 grains are pounded to prepare a paste for application over the central area of both soles and changed once every 12 hours for one week.