Why isn't kidney yang deficiency improving after taking Chinese herbal medicine for twenty days, and what should be done?
Dec 12, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Sun Lianqing
Introduction
If kidney yang deficiency shows no improvement after twenty days of taking Chinese herbal medicine, it may be due to factors such as poor lifestyle habits, inappropriate medication, chronic prostatitis, hypothyroidism, or adrenal cortical insufficiency. Patients should consider their individual circumstances and improve their condition by adjusting lifestyle habits and undergoing standardized treatment. Regulating kidney yang is a gradual process; when therapeutic effects are unsatisfactory, patients should not discontinue or change medications on their own.
If kidney yang deficiency does not improve after taking Chinese herbal medicine for 20 days, possible causes may include poor lifestyle habits, incorrect medication for the condition, chronic prostatitis, hypothyroidism, or adrenal cortical insufficiency. Patients can improve their condition by adjusting their lifestyle and undergoing standardized treatment based on individual circumstances. A detailed analysis is as follows:
1. Poor lifestyle habits
Long-term熬夜 (staying up late) depletes yang energy, while frequent consumption of raw and cold foods damages kidney yang, counteracting the effects of herbal medicine. Maintain regular sleep patterns and avoid staying up late; eat warming and nourishing foods such as lamb and leeks, and avoid icy drinks and cold dishes.
2. Incorrect medication for the condition
When kidney yang deficiency is accompanied by conditions such as damp-heat or blood stasis, simply using herbs to tonify kidney yang may be insufficient, leading to poor results. Return for follow-up consultation to adjust the prescription, adding components that clear heat and resolve dampness or promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis to the original tonifying formula.
3. Chronic prostatitis
Inflammation affects urinary and reproductive system function, aggravating kidney yang depletion and interfering with the effectiveness of herbal treatment. Follow medical advice to take medications such as levofloxacin tablets, Qianlieshutong capsules, and tamsulosin hydrochloride sustained-release capsules, and avoid prolonged sitting and holding urine.
4. Hypothyroidism
Insufficient thyroid hormone secretion slows down metabolism, causing symptoms similar to kidney yang deficiency, which cannot be rapidly corrected by herbal medicine alone. Under medical guidance, take levothyroxine sodium tablets, Jin Kui Shen Qi Wan, and Fu Zi Li Zhong Wan, and regularly monitor thyroid function.
5. Adrenal cortical insufficiency
Reduced secretion of adrenal cortical hormones leads to systemic functional decline, manifesting as kidney yang deficiency symptoms, requiring integrated traditional Chinese and Western medical treatment. Follow medical instructions to take hydrocortisone tablets, prednisolone tablets, and You Gui Wan. Severe cases may require hospitalization for standardized management.
Regulating kidney yang is a gradual process. When treatment outcomes are unsatisfactory, do not discontinue or change medication on your own. Maintain patience and cooperate fully with medical care, while consistently adhering to a healthy lifestyle, to better support recovery.
