Kidney governs the bones and engenders marrow

The Inner Classic (内经 nèi jīng) says that the kidney engenders bone and marrow, governs the bones, and its fullness is in the bone. The growth, development, and healing of the bones depends on the nourishment and activation provided by kidney essential qì. Insufficiency of kidney essential qì may result in retarded closure of the fontanel gates and soft bones in infants. It may also lead to marrow vacuity characterized by wilting (wěi) legs that prevent the patient from walking, or pain or stiffness of the lower lumbar spine preventing the patient from lying either prone or supine. Furthermore, the teeth are the surplus of the bones. In clinical practice, slow growth of teeth in children and the premature loosening and loss of teeth in adults are found to be due to insufficiency of kidney essential qì. Hence, some tooth diseases are vacuity patterns that can be treated through the kidney. Because the kidney governs the bones and engenders marrow, and the brain is known as the sea of marrow, a close link can be seen between the kidney and the brain. Insufficiency of kidney essential qì may lead to emptiness of the sea of marrow, manifesting as dizziness, slowness of thought, or forgetfulness, all of which can be treated as kidney complaints.