TMJ Pain - Liver-Kidney Deficiency Pattern

Dr. Li Wei, DACM

TMJ Pain · Liver-Kidney Deficiency Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 7 min

Body Area: Head

Pattern Overview

Liver-Kidney Deficiency is a chronic degenerative pattern in TMJ pain, characterized by joint degeneration, condylar cartilage degeneration, disc collagen fiber degradation, chronic ache, and weakness. The core pathogenesis is Liver-Kidney deficiency failing to nourish the TMJ, leading to condylar cartilage degeneration, disc degradation, and chronic pain.

Key Symptoms and Differentiation Points

| Differentiation Dimension | Manifestations |

| :— | :— |

| Primary Symptoms | Chronic TMJ pain, joint degeneration, limited mouth opening |

| Associated Symptoms | Soreness in the lower back and knees, dizziness, tinnitus, fatigue |

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

| Pathogenesis | Liver-Kidney deficiency failing to nourish the TMJ |

| Etiology | Aging, chronic overuse, constitutional deficiency, osteoarthritis |

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-Essence |

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

| Xiaguan (ST7) | In the depression on the lower border of the zygomatic arch, below the temporal process of the zygomatic bone | Key point for TMJ pain; treats joint degeneration |

| Jiache (ST6) | In the depression on the lower border of the zygomatic arch, about 1 cun anterior to the angle of the mandible | Local point; treats TMJ pain |

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) or Liu Wei Di Huang Wan (六味地黄丸)

Composition:

Angelica pubescens (Du Huo), Loranthus (Sang Ji Sheng), Eucommia (Du Zhong), Achyranthes (Niu Xi), Rehmannia (Shu Di), Cornus (Shan Zhu Yu), Dioscorea (Shan Yao), Licorice (Gan Cao)

Action: Tonifies Liver and Kidney, strengthens tendons and bones, and relieves TMJ pain.

Modifications

| Associated Symptoms | Additions/Subtractions |

| :— | :— |

| Joint degeneration | Add Du Zhong, Xu Duan to strengthen bones |

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

| Dizziness and tinnitus | Add Gou Qi, Ju Hua to nourish the Liver and brighten the eyes |

| Fatigue | Add Huang Qi, Dang Shen to supplement Qi |

Western Mechanism Reference

Joint degeneration with condylar cartilage degeneration, disc collagen fiber degradation, and age-related changes. Liver-Kidney Deficiency corresponds to TMJ osteoarthritis, where condylar cartilage degeneration and disc collagen fiber degradation contribute to chronic TMJ pain.

References

  1. Stomatology of TCM - TMJ Pain with Liver-Kidney Deficiency.

  2. Zang-Fu Pattern Differentiation: Liver-Kidney Deficiency → Cross-layer.

  3. WHO. (2023). Oral health. World Health Organization.

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