Gout - Liver-Kidney Deficiency Pattern

Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Gout · Liver-Kidney Deficiency Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 7 min

Body Area: Joints

Pattern Overview

Liver-Kidney Deficiency is an advanced chronic pattern in gout, characterized by chronic gout with joint erosion, progressive renal dysfunction, joint deformity, weakness, and soreness. The core pathogenesis is prolonged illness consuming Liver and Kidney, leading to joint destruction, renal impairment, and functional decline.

Key Symptoms and Differentiation Points

| Differentiation Dimension | Manifestations |

| :— | :— |

| Primary Symptoms | Chronic joint pain, joint deformity, weakness, back and knee soreness |

| Associated Symptoms | Fatigue, dizziness, tinnitus, frequent urination, progressive renal impairment |

| Tongue and Pulse | Pale red tongue with little coating, thready and weak pulse |

| Pathogenesis | Liver-Kidney deficiency with joint erosion and renal impairment |

| Etiology | Prolonged gout, repeated attacks, inadequate treatment, aging |

Acupuncture Point Prescription

| Point | Location | Function |

| :— | :— | :— |

| Ganshu (BL18) | Lower back, 1.5 cun lateral to T9 | Back-Shu point of Liver meridian; nourishes Liver Blood |

| Shenshu (BL23) | Lower back, 1.5 cun lateral to L2 | Back-Shu point of Kidney meridian; tonifies Kidney Qi |

| Taixi (KI3) | Depression between medial malleolus and Achilles tendon | Source point of Kidney meridian; nourishes Kidney Yin |

| Sanyinjiao (SP6) | 3 cun above the medial malleolus | Nourishes Blood and Yin; regulates the Spleen and Kidney |

| Xuanzhong (GB39) | 3 cun above the lateral malleolus | Benefits the marrow; strengthens bones and tendons |

Clinical Recommendation: Filament needle, reinforcing method; moxibustion may be applied to Shenshu and Ganshu to warm and tonify.

Herbal Formula

Base Formula: Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang (独活寄生汤) + Si Miao San (四妙散)

Composition:

Angelica pubescens (Du Huo), Loranthus (Sang Ji Sheng), Eucommia (Du Zhong), Achyranthes (Niu Xi), Atractylodes (Cang Zhu), Phellodendron (Huang Bai), Coix Seed (Yi Yi Ren)

Action: Tonifies Liver and Kidney, clears Damp-Heat, strengthens bones and tendons.

Modifications

| Associated Symptoms | Additions/Subtractions |

| :— | :— |

| Joint erosion | Add Gu Sui Bu, Niu Xi to strengthen bones |

| Renal impairment | Add Huang Qi, Dang Shen to supplement Qi and invigorate blood |

| Back and knee soreness | Add Du Zhong, Xu Duan to strengthen the lower back |

| Weakness | Add Huang Qi to enhance Qi supplementation |

Western Mechanism Reference

Chronic gout with joint cartilage and bone erosion, progressive renal impairment, and joint deformity. Liver-Kidney Deficiency corresponds to advanced gout with joint destruction and renal impairment, where prolonged urate deposition leads to progressive joint erosion and renal dysfunction.

References

  1. Internal Medicine of TCM - Bi Syndrome with Liver-Kidney Deficiency.

  2. DB-XJB: Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang.

  3. WHO. (2023). Gout fact sheet. World Health Organization.

Explore More

  • Find your solution at MendGod.com – Personalized herbal protocols and acupressure tools for joint health.

  • Deepen your knowledge at TcmCIO.com – Full research papers and clinical case studies on TCM gout management.