This therapeutic method is used to treat kidney deficiency syndrome which is a commonly encountered syndrome in clinic, because the kidney tends to become as thenic and prolonged duration of disease is liable to affect the kidney among the infants. That is why kidney-nourishing therapy is used so frequently in the treatment of infantile diseases, such as infantile nephrotic syndrome, chronic nephritis, enuresis, underdevelopment of the brain, hypophrenia, malnutrition, cretinism, dwarfism as well as chronic and prolonged diseases (such as prolonged diarrhea and prolonged asthma) and some acute and severe diseases. 

Kidney deficiency syndrome can be classified into deficiency syndromes of the kidney yang and kidney yin as well as both kidney yin and kidney yang. Accordingly the kidney-nourishing therapy can be further divided into the therapies for warming kidney yang, replenishing kidney yin and nourishing both kidney yin and kidney yang.

This therapeutic method is used to treat deficiency syndrome of kidney yang marked by pale or blackish complexion, dispiritedness, dizziness, tinnitus, weakness of the waist and knees, aversion to cold, cold limbs, or  prolonged diarrhea, or frequent micturition at night, enuresis, or severe edema of the lower limbs with non-rebounding depression under pressure, pale and corpulent tongue, or tongue with tooth prints, whitish thin fur and deep thready pulse. 

This method is used to treat deficiency syndrome of kidney yin marked by emaciation, dizziness, tinnitus,  hectic fever, night sweating, feverish sensation over the palms, soles and chest, blackish and lusterless complexion, or red cheeks, weakness of the waist and knees, yellowish urine and dry feces, reddish tongue with scanty fur and thready-fast pulse. 

The herbs commonly used are Shudihuang (Radix Rehmanniaeae Praeparata), Zhishouwu (prepared Radix Polygoni Multiflori), Shanzhuyu (Fruztus Corni), Gouqizi (Fructus Lycii), Nvzhenzi (Fructus Ligustri Lucidi), hanliancao (Herba Ecliptae) and Guibanjiao (Colla Ptastri Testudinis), etc.. The prescriptions used are Liuwei Dihuang Pill (Pill of Six Drugs Including Rehmannia), zuogui Decoction and Zhibai Dihuang Pill (Pill of Anemarrhena, Phellodendron and Rehmannia).

This method is used to treat simultaneous deficiency of both the kidney yin and kidney yang marked by simultaneous appearance of the symptoms and signs related to the asthenia of both the kidney yin and kidney yang. 

The commonly-used herbs are Renshen (Radix Ginseng),huangqi (Radix Astragali seu Hedysari), Rougui (Cortex Cinnamomi), Yinyanghuo (Herba Epimedii), hutaorou(Semen Juglandis), Gejie(Gecko), Ziheche (Placenta Hominis), Dongchongxiacao(Cordyceps), Lurong (Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum), Shudihuang (Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata), Shouwu (Radix Polygoni Multiflori), Danggui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis), Ejiao (Colla Corii Asini), Guiban (Plastrum Testudinis), Gouqizi (Frutus Lycii), Shanzhuyu (Fructus Corni) and Nvizhenzi (Fructus Ligustri Lucidi), etc.. The prescriptions used are Heche Dazao Bolus and Shenqi Dihuang Decoction.