J. Acupunct. Tuina. Sci.

(2009) 7: 116-117
DOI: 10.1007/s11726-009-0116-6

Clinical Report

Tuina Treatment for 37 Cases of Postoperative

Urinary Retention
KANG Li-di ()
Tuina Department of Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine,
Shanghai 200021, P. R. China

37
13
36 1

AbstractObjective: To observe the effect of postoperative urinary retention treated with

tuina therapy. Methods: Tuina therapy was applied on 37 cases of postoperative urinary
retention; Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zhongji (CV 3) and bilateral Sanyinjiao (SP 6) were
selected. Results: Thirty-six cases were cured and 1 case was not surveyed after 1 to 3
treatments. Conclusion: Point tuina is an effective method in treating postoperative urinary
retention.
Key WordsUrinary Retention; Tuina; Massage; Point, Qihai (CV 6); Point, Guanyuan
(CV 4); Point, Zhongji (CV 3); Points, Sanyinjiao (SP 6)
CLC NumberR244.1
Document CodeB
Urinary retention is a common disease mainly
characterized by filling of bladder, abdominal
distention and failure of voluntary micturition[1],
which belongs to "Long Bi" in Chinese medicine.
Acute urinary retention displays a sudden failure of
micturition in a very short period and belongs to the
surgery emergency. The author treated 37 patients
with tuina, the report is as follows.

1 Clinical Data
1.1 Diagnostic criteria
It is confirmed with Shanghai Diagnostic and
Therapeutic Guidelines of Traditional Chiense
Medicine [1]. Failure of micturition, dripping urination
or urinary obstruction, no difficulty and pain in
urination, and abdominal distention and fullness;
postoperation.
1.2 General data
In 37 cases of postoperative urinary retention, 30
cases underwent anus and intestinal operation, 2 cases
Author:KANG Li-di (1960- ), female, associate chief physician

uterectomy and 5 cases appendectomy. Of all cases,

there were 5 male cases and 32 female cases; the
oldest was 62 years old and the youngest was 22 years
old, with the average age of 42 years old; the longest
duration was 3 d and the shortest was 8 h.

2 Treatment Methods
2.1 Points
Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zhongji (CV 3)
and bilateral Sanyinjiao (SP 6).
2.2 Tuina manipulation
The patient was asked to take a supine posture, flex
both knees and relax the abdominal muscles.
First step: Doctor overlaps hands (right hand under
the left one) on points Qihai (CV 6) and Guanyuan
(CV 4), rub and knead gently clockwise for 5 min;
Second step: Press and knead bilateral Sanyinjiao
(Sp 6) for 30 s to reach a light feeling of soreness and
distention.
Third step: Use the palm pushing manipulation to
start from Qihai (CV 6) along Conception Vessel

116 Copyright2009 Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian

J. Acupunct. Tuina. Sci. (2009) 7: 117-118

down forward for 3 times according to the different

upper bound when bladder is filling.
Fourth step: Use middle finger to press Zhongji
(CV 3), a slow steady force was performed down and
internally at the angle of 45, meanwhile, ask patient
to breathe in deeply to sag the abdominal gradually.

3 Results
3.1 Criteria for therapeutic effects
The therapeutic effects are evaluated according to
Shanghai Diagnostic and Therapeutic Guidelines of
Traditional Chinese Medicine [1].
Cure: Easy and smooth urination, symptoms and
signs disappeared;
Effective: Symptoms and signs improved;
Ineffective: Symptoms and signs changed little.
3.2 Therapeutic results
One case was not available for evaluating effect for
using the urinary drainage tube after one treatment of
tuina. In the rest of the 36 cases, 25 cases were cured
with smooth urination for 800 mL after one treatment,
8 cases were cured after 2 treatments and the other 3
cases were cured by 3 treatments. All the 36 cases
were recovered and had a normal urination function
after the treatment of meridian and points tuina.
3.3 Case introduction
A 62 years old female patient came to visit on
September 14th, 2006.
Chief complaints: Failure to urinate for 1 d.
History of present illness: This patient failed to
urinate after a mixed hemorrhoids operation the day
before, she was suffering a bearing-down distention in
abdominal regionsore and limp loins and knees,
general lassitude, depression and loss of appetite.
Type-B ultrasonic examination showed that the
bladder filled with 1 000 mL urine.
Physical check: Bright pale complexion, a pale
tongue with white thin coating, and a deep thready
pulse.
Diagnosis: Urinary retention (kidney-qi deficiency).
Treatment principle: Warming kidney and
activating yang as well as draining urine.
Treatment: The above mentioned tuina therapy was
applied on Guanyuan (CV 4) , as the main point
Qihai (CV 6), Zhongji (CV 3) and bilateral Sanyinjiao
(SP 6) as assistantance.
Results: Patient had a free urination. All symptoms
and signs disappeared after 3 treatments.

4 Discussion
Retention of urine is a common disease after
surgical operation. There are several reasons for this,
the first is complications from anesthesia; the second
is postoperative pain; the third is mental stress and
weak abdominal muscle and detrusor of bladder for
the aged.
Chinese medicine holds that the disease is a bladder
problem due to deficiency of kidney yang and
stagnation of qi. Guanyuan (CV 4) and Zhongji (CV 3)
are the convergent points of three yin meridians of
Foot and Conception Vesselwhich are the points for
the connection of essential qi of three yin meridians.
Zhongji (CV 3) is the Front-Mu point of bladder, the
point gathering qi of Bladder Meridian in the
abdomen which can regulate qi of bladder. It
replenishes the primary qi and promotes the qi
transformation of bladder when used together with
Qihai (CV 6). Sanyinjiao (SP 6) is the convergent
point of three yin meridians which has close
relationship with Thoroughfare Vessel and
Conception Vessel, can reinforce spleen and promote
the transportation and transformation to eliminate qi
stagnation of lower jiao[2.3]. The four points can lower
the excitability of sphincter vesicae and strengthen the
contraction force of bladder smooth muscles so as to
promote the qi transformation.
Tuina can regulate the tension and sphincter muscle
of bladder, improve the absorption of inflammatory
edema of bladder and urethra, and relax the sphincter
urethra[4]. It can relieve the patients sufferings and
avoid the complications of urethral catheterization,
and is an effective therapy for urinary retention with
easy operation and good curative effects,

References
[1] Shanghai Municipal Public Health Bureau. Shanghai
Diagnostic and Therapeutic Guidelines of Traditional
Chinese Medicine. Shanghai: Shanghai University of
Traditional Chinese Medicine Press, 2003: 57.
[2] ZHU Jie. Observations on the Efficacy of Electroacupuncture Combined with Mild Moxibustion in Treating
Anorectal Plstoperative Uroschesis. Shanghai Journal of
Acupuncture and Moxibustion, 2005, 24 (7): 17-18.
[3] BU Chun-lei, LI Yin-bo, MENG Hui. Acupuncture
Treatment of 80 Cases of Urine Retention Following Spinal
and Craniocerebral Injuries. Journal of Acupuncture and
Tuina Science, 2007, 5(3): 180-181.
[4] CAO Ren-fa. Chinese Massage. Beijing: Peoples
Medical Publishing House, 1992: 106-107.
Translator: YANG Ling ( )
Received Date: November 16, 2008

Copyright2009 Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian 117