The methods of traditional Chinese medicine for treating impotence include herbal medicine, acupuncture, qigong, and other methods. According to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, impotence is related to the liver, kidney, and yangming meridians. The disease can be divided into four categories:
1. Decline of the gate of life fire: This condition is often caused by excessive sexual intercourse or long-term masturbation, leading to deficiency and coldness of the essence. Symptoms include pale complexion, frequent and scanty urination at night, dizziness, mental fatigue, soreness and weakness of the waist and knees, cold limbs, pale tongue with white coating, and thin and deep pulse. The treatment is based on Wuzi Yanzong Pill (fructus lycii, fructus rubi, dodder seed, schisandra fruit, plantago seed).
2. Qi deficiency of the heart and spleen: This condition is often caused by excessive worries and depression, which damage the heart and spleen and lead to deficiency of qi and blood. Symptoms include lack of energy, palpitations, restless sleep, poor appetite, loose stools, thin and greasy coating on the tongue, and weak or knotted pulse. The treatment is based on Guipi Decoction plus honeycomb (ginseng, astragalus, white atractylodes, poria, Chinese angelica, fried jujube kernel, polygala, longan flesh, licorice, saussurea, fresh ginger, red dates).
3. Kidney damage due to fear and panic: This condition is often caused by timidity, suspicion, and weak constitution, and is aggravated by sudden fear during sexual intercourse. Symptoms include mental distress, timidity, suspicion, startled by sounds, palpitations, insomnia, frequent nightmares, thin and stringy pulse, and thin and greasy coating on the tongue. The treatment is based on Dabu Yuan Decoction (ginseng, cooked rehmannia, Chinese yam, cornus, Eucommia bark, Chinese angelica, fructus lycii, licorice) plus jujube kernel, polygala, and dragon bone.
4. Damp-heat pouring downward: This condition is often caused by emotional stagnation, liver qi stagnation, and dampness transforming into heat. Symptoms include irritability, easy anger, damp and hot scrotum, testicular pain, moist and painful penis, short and red urine, sore and weary lower limbs, yellow coating on the tongue, and deep and slippery pulse. The treatment is based on Zhibai Dihuang Pill with modifications (anemarrhena, phellodendron, cooked rehmannia, Chinese yam, moutan, cornus, water plantain, poria).
