Erectile dysfunction patients often self-administer kidney-tonifying and yang-invigorating drugs, but some people become even weaker. Why is this?
From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, there are many clinical syndromes of erectile dysfunction, and kidney deficiency is just one of them. It is manifested as soreness and weakness of the waist and knees, aversion to cold, and loose stools. Most cases are caused by excessive indulgence, which depletes the kidney yang. In this case, various Chinese herbal medicines that tonify the kidney and invigorate yang, such as deer antler, ginseng, and deer penis, can be selected.
However, if erectile dysfunction is caused by excessive worry, which damages the kidney yin and results in symptoms such as soreness and weakness of the waist and knees, insomnia and excessive dreaming, and heat intolerance, then medicines that clear the heart and nourish the kidney, such as Rehmannia, white peony root, and dogwood fruit, should be used. If kidney-tonifying and yang-invigorating drugs are blindly taken, the condition may worsen.
In addition, if erectile dysfunction is caused by overconsumption of greasy and sweet foods, excessive smoking and drinking, and is manifested as bitter taste in the mouth, irritability, lumbago, perineal pain, and yellow urine, only drugs that clear and resolve liver-gallbladder damp-heat, such as gentian grass and phellodendron, should be selected.
If erectile dysfunction is caused by mental stress or side effects of certain medications, there is no need to take any kidney-tonifying drugs. When the tense emotions are relieved or the related medications are discontinued, the erectile dysfunction will naturally resolve itself.
