Edema

水腫 / 水肿

Swelling due to fluid retention in the tissues.

Quick Facts

Health Topic	Urinary & Renal Care
Also Known As	Swelling, Water retention, Puffy limbs, Fluid retention, Oedema
Common Symptoms	Visible or palpable swelling, often in the legs, ankles, face or eyelids. The area may pit on pressure, feel heavy, or worsen after prolonged standing or in the morning. Urination may be reduced or more frequent, and a sense of bodily heaviness can accompany the swelling.
Related TCM Patterns	Dampness · Kidney Yang Deficiency · Damp-Heat · Qi Deficiency · Yang Deficiency · Blood Deficiency · Wind-Cold · Cold Accumulation
Related Classical Formulas	Wu Ling San · Zhu Ling Tang · Zhen Wu Tang · Yin Chen Wu Ling San · Wei Ling Tang · Fang Ji Huang Qi Tang · Wu Pi Yin · Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan · Ji Sheng Shen Qi Wan · Bi Xie Fen Qing Yin · Dang Gui Shao Yao San · Yue Bi Jia Zhu Tang · Yue Bi Tang · Gan Jiang Ling Zhu Tang · Yi Yi Ren Tang · Qiang Huo Sheng Shi Tang

Edema in Traditional Chinese Medicine

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, edema is differentiated by pattern rather than treated as simple fluid excess. Dampness, damp-heat and Yang deficiency are among the patterns that may present with swelling. Differentiation considers whether the swelling is pitting and cold, whether there is thirst and scanty dark urine, whether the person feels cold and exhausted, and where the edema is most prominent. Classical formulas are matched to these pattern distinctions, not to swelling alone.

TCM Patterns Associated With Edema

The same presentation may be understood through more than one pattern. Pattern differentiation weighs the accompanying signs, not the symptom on its own.

Pattern	Common Features	Related Formulas
Dampness濕阻證Damp Patterns	A heavy, sluggish body feeling, abdominal fullness, sticky sensation in the mouth, and reduced appetite. Stools may be sticky or incomplete, and the person often feels worse in humid weather. There can be oedema of the limbs or a greasy facial sheen. Tongue with a thick greasy white coating; pulse soft or slippery.	Wu Ling San Yin Chen Wu Ling San Wei Ling Tang Wu Pi Yin Bi Xie Fen Qing Yin Yi Yi Ren Tang Qiang Huo Sheng Shi Tang
Kidney Yang Deficiency腎陽虛證Deficiency Patterns	Cold lower back and knees, cold limbs, clear copious urine or frequent nocturia, and reduced sexual drive or premature ejaculation. Energy is low, especially in the morning or in cold weather, and stools may be loose. The face can look pale and slightly puffy. Tongue pale and swollen with a white coating; pulse deep and weak, especially in the chi position.	Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan Ji Sheng Shen Qi Wan
Damp-Heat濕熱證Damp Patterns	A heavy body with a sense of heat, sticky or bitter taste in the mouth, scanty dark urine, and discomfort that worsens in hot humid weather. There may be greasy skin, sticky stools, or yellowish discharge. Thirst is present but drinking may not feel satisfying. Tongue red with a yellow greasy coating; pulse slippery and rapid.	Zhu Ling Tang
Qi Deficiency氣虛證Deficiency Patterns	Easy fatigue, shortness of breath on mild effort, a soft or low voice, and spontaneous sweating with light activity. The complexion is often pale, and recovery after exertion is slow. There may be a tendency to catch external pathogens more easily. Tongue pale with a thin white coating; pulse weak or empty.	Fang Ji Huang Qi Tang
Yang Deficiency陽虛證Deficiency Patterns	Aversion to cold, cold limbs, preference for warm drinks and clothing, and low energy that worsens in cold weather. There may be loose stools, clear copious urine, a pale puffy face, and reduced libido or lumbar weakness. The person feels better with warmth and worse with cold exposure. Tongue pale and possibly swollen with a white coating; pulse deep and weak.	Zhen Wu Tang
Blood Deficiency血虛證Deficiency Patterns	A pale or sallow complexion, dry hair or skin, light-headedness on standing, blurred vision, and easy fatigue. In women the menstrual flow is often scanty and pale. Sleep may be light, and the hands and feet can feel numb when tired. Tongue pale and thin; pulse thin and weak.	Dang Gui Shao Yao San
Wind-Cold風寒證Exterior Patterns	Chills that outweigh the fever, no sweating, a stuffy or runny nose with clear discharge, an itchy or scratchy throat rather than a sore one, body aches, and a cough with thin white phlegm. Symptoms often start abruptly after exposure to cold or wind. Tongue with a thin white coating; pulse floating and tight.	Yue Bi Jia Zhu Tang Yue Bi Tang
Cold Accumulation寒積證Cold Patterns	Fixed cold pain in the abdomen that prefers warmth and worsens with cold food or exposure. There may be constipation or difficult stools, cold limbs, and a preference for warm drinks. The abdomen can feel hard or full on pressure. Tongue pale with a white coating; pulse deep and tight or wiry.	Gan Jiang Ling Zhu Tang