Understanding Impotence: A Comprehensive Overview
Impotence is a condition characterized by the consistent inability to achieve or sustain an erection sufficient for sexual activity. It may manifest as a complete inability to have an erection, intermittent difficulty in achieving one, or an inability to maintain it for a satisfactory duration.
Impotence is a complex condition with various underlying causes, including:
- Medications: Side effects of certain drugs can impair erectile function.
- Nerve and Tissue Damage: Often caused by underlying health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or post-surgical complications.
- Lifestyle Factors: Smoking, physical inactivity, and poor overall health can contribute to Impotence.
- Emotional and Psychological Stress: Mental health challenges, such as anxiety, depression, or relationship stress, are common contributors.
- Injuries: Damage to the penis, bladder, prostate, pelvis, or spinal cord may result in Impotence.
Addressing Impotence often requires a multifaceted approach that considers physical health, lifestyle changes, and emotional well-being. In addition to conventional medical treatments, holistic therapies, such as those offered by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), provide complementary options for addressing this condition at its root.
Treatment of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine
Commonly used points: SP6 Sanyinjiao, ST29 Guilai, BL23 Shenshu.
Commonly used herbal formula: Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan, Liu Wei Di Huang Wan, Zuo Gui Wan, You Gui Wan.
Research
Weak positive evidence (Cui 2016 – SR of 3 RCTs)(1): of the three RCTs with a total of 183 participants: one trial showed the beneficial effects of acupuncture compared with sham acupuncture; one trial suggested that acupuncture combined with psychological therapy was superior to psychological therapy alone.
Reference
1. Cui X, Zhou J, Qin Z, Liu Z. Acupuncture for Erectile Dysfunction: A Systematic Review. Biomed Res Int. 2016;2016:2171923.