Xiāo Kè (消渴) is the equivalent of diabetes in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
The clinical symptoms of Xiāo Kè could be as follows:
– excessive urination
– excessive thirst
– excessive hunger
Patients may have a thin-bodied appearance and urine may taste like sweat. TCM has good results in improving patients’ symptoms. Diabetes was already mentioned in the Nei Jing . The Nei Jing states that weakness of the five Zhang organs and an imbalance in emotional life are the main causes of Xiāo Kè.
The three excesses (urination, thirst, hunger) are the main characteristics of Xiāo Kè. Patients often feel tired, lack energy and overeat. Xiāo Kě (消渴) patients often tend to urinate at night.