经曰∶膀胱者，津液之府也，与肾为表里，号为水曹〔掾〕，〔又〕名玉海，
〔足〕太阳是其经也。总通〔于〕五腑，所以五腑有疾，则应膀胱；膀胱有疾，〔即
应〕胞囊〔也〕。〔伤热则〕小便不利，热入膀胱，则其气急，而小便黄涩也；膀胱
寒则小便数而清（白）也。又水发则〔其〕根在膀胱，〔四肢瘦小〕，而腹反
大〔是〕也。又膀胱咳〔久〕不已，传之三焦，满而不欲饮食也。然〔上〕
焦主心肺之病，人有热，则食不入；寒则神不守，泄下利不止，语声不出也。
实则上绝于〔心〕气不行也，虚则引热气于肺。其三焦和，则五脏六腑之
气和，逆则皆逆。膀胱经中有厥气，〔则〕梦行不快；满胀，则小便不下，
脐下〔重〕闷，或〔肩痛也〕。绝〔则〕三日死，死在鸡鸣也。此膀胱虚实
〔寒热〕生死逆顺脉证之法也。
《主治备要》云∶是动则病（气）冲头痛，目似脱，项似拔，脊痛，腰似折，髀不
可以曲， 〔如〕结，〔 〕如裂，是为踝厥。〔是〕主筋所生病者，痔，疟，狂，癫
疾，头囟项痛，目黄泪出，鼽衄，项、〔背〕、腰、尻、 、〔 〕，脚皆痛，足小指
不用。《脉诀》云∶左尺，膀胱肾脉之所出也，先以轻手得之，是膀胱，属表；后以重手
得之，是肾，属里。命门与肾脉循骨而行，〔持〕脉指法，按至骨上得之为沉；又重
手按之，脉道无力者，为濡；举手来疾流利者为滑。此乃沉濡而滑，命门与肾〔脉〕
不病之状也。命门与肾部近骨，若出于骨上，见于皮肤血脉筋骨之间，是其浮也；入而
至骨，是其沉也。
《黄帝内经》说：膀胱是津液汇聚的府库，与肾互为表里，被称为“水曹掾”（掌管水的官员），又名“玉海”，足太阳经是其所属的经脉。它总领通连其他五腑，所以其他五腑有病，就会反映在膀胱；膀胱有病，也会反映在胞囊（指女子子宫或男子精室等下焦器官）。如果膀胱受热邪侵袭，就会导致小便排出不畅；热邪侵入膀胱，会使膀胱气机急迫，出现小便黄赤、涩痛的症状；如果膀胱受寒，则会出现小便频数且清白的症状。另外，水肿病的根源在于膀胱，表现为四肢消瘦细小，而腹部反而胀大。还有，如果膀胱咳久治不愈，病邪会传变至三焦，导致腹部胀满而不想进食。然而上焦主要主管心肺的疾病，人如果有热邪，食物就无法进入胃中；如果有寒邪，神志就不能安守，出现腹泻痢疾不止，甚至不能说话的情况。实证会导致心气运行受阻，虚证则会引动热气上行于肺。如果三焦功能调和，那么五脏六腑的气机就能和谐；如果三焦气机逆乱，那么全身气机都会逆乱。膀胱经中有厥逆之气，就会梦见行走不便；如果膀胱经气满胀，就会导致小便不通，脐下感觉沉重闷堵，或者出现肩痛。如果膀胱经气断绝，三天后就会死亡，死亡时间多在鸡鸣时分。这是关于膀胱虚实、寒热以及生死顺逆的脉象和证候的判断法则。
《主治备要》说：足太阳膀胱经发生变动时，会出现气冲头痛，眼睛感觉像要脱出，颈部感觉像被牵引拔起，脊柱疼痛，腰部感觉像折断，大腿无法弯曲，腘窝处像有结块阻滞，小腿肚像被撕裂一样疼痛，这称为“踝厥”。该经主要主管筋所发生的疾病，包括痔疮、疟疾、狂症、癫疾，头囟及颈部疼痛，眼睛发黄、流泪，鼻塞流涕或鼻出血，颈、背、腰、臀部以及腘窝、小腿肚等处疼痛，足小趾不能活动。《脉诀》说：左尺部脉是膀胱和肾脉发出的部位，先用轻手按压摸到的是膀胱脉，属于表证；后用重手按压摸到的是肾脉，属于里证。命门与肾脉沿着骨骼走行，诊脉时的指法，按到骨上才摸到的为沉脉；再用重手按压，脉搏无力的为濡脉；手指抬起时脉搏来势迅速流畅的为滑脉。这就是沉、濡、滑三种脉象，是命门与肾没有病变的状态。命门与肾的部位靠近骨骼，如果脉搏浮现在骨之上，显露在皮肤、血脉、筋骨之间，这是浮脉；如果深入直到骨面，这是沉脉。
The *Classic of Difficult Issues* (or *Huangdi Neijing*) states: The Bladder is the mansion of fluids, exteriorly-interiorly related to the Kidney, designated as the "Water Official" (*Shui Cao Yuan*), and also known as the "Jade Sea." The Foot-Taiyang (Greater Yang of the Foot) meridian belongs to it. It generally connects with the five Fu organs; therefore, when diseases occur in the five Fu organs, they correspond to the Bladder; when the Bladder has disease, it corresponds to the Bao Luo (uterus or seminal vesicle). If heat pathogen injures it, urination will be difficult; if heat enters the Bladder, its qi becomes urgent, resulting in yellow and astringent urine; if the Bladder is cold, there will be frequent and clear urine. Furthermore, the root of water swelling lies in the Bladder, manifesting as thin and small limbs while the abdomen is disproportionately large. Additionally, if Bladder cough persists for a long time without healing, it transmits to the Sanjiao (Triple Burner), causing fullness and loss of appetite. However, the Upper Jiao primarily governs diseases of the Heart and Lung; if a person has heat, food cannot enter; if there is cold, the spirit does not remain settled, leading to continuous diarrhea and dysentery, and inability to speak. Excess conditions cause the Heart qi to be blocked from circulating; deficiency conditions draw heat qi into the Lung. When the Sanjiao is harmonious, the qi of the five Zang and six Fu organs is harmonious; when it is inverted, all qi becomes inverted. If there is Jue qi (rebellious/cold qi) in the Bladder meridian, one dreams of being unable to walk smoothly; if there is fullness and distension, urination will not descend, with heaviness and oppression below the umbilicus, or shoulder pain. If the meridian qi is exhausted, death occurs in three days, specifically at the time of cockcrow. This describes the methods for determining pulse and syndrome patterns regarding excess/deficiency, cold/heat, life/death, and favorable/unfavorable outcomes for the Bladder.
The *Zhu Zhi Bei Yao* (Essentials of Main Treatment) states: When this meridian is moved (pathologically altered), it causes disease such as Qi rushing to the head causing pain, eyes feeling as if they are falling out, neck feeling as if being pulled, spinal pain, waist feeling as if broken, thighs unable to bend, the popliteal fossa feeling like it is knotted, and the calf feeling as if torn apart; this is called An-Jue (Ankle Reversal). It mainly governs diseases occurring in the sinews, including hemorrhoids, malaria, mania, epilepsy, pain in the vertex, occiput, and neck, yellow eyes with tearing, rhinorrhea, epistaxis, pain in the neck, back, waist, sacrum, popliteal fossa, and calf, and dysfunction of the little toe. The *Mai Jue* (Pulse Classic) states: The left Chi position is where the Bladder and Kidney pulses originate. First, using light pressure, the Bladder pulse is obtained, belonging to the Exterior; subsequently, using heavy pressure, the Kidney pulse is obtained, belonging to the Interior. the Mingmen (Gate of Life) and Kidney pulses run along the bone. The finger technique for taking the pulse involves pressing until the bone is reached to identify the Deep (*Chen*) pulse; pressing heavily again, if the pulse channel lacks strength, it is identified as the Soggy (*Ru*) pulse; lifting the hand quickly with a smooth and rapid flow characterizes the Slippery (*Hua*) pulse. These are the states of Deep, Soggy, and Slippery pulses, indicating that the Mingmen and Kidney are not diseased. The positions of the Mingmen and Kidney are close to the bone; if the pulse emerges above the bone, appearing between the skin, blood vessels, sinews, and bones, this is Floating (*Fu*); entering down to the bone, this is Deep (*Chen*).