🌿 Folk Prescriptions

【Overview】
Erectile dysfunction refers to the inability to achieve or maintain an erection during intercourse. Known in *The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon* as “yin weakness,” Zhang Jingqiu stated: “Yin weakness means yang cannot rise.” It arises from relaxation of the seminal network due to various causes. Commonly seen in sexual neurasthenia and certain chronic debilitating diseases.
【Causes and Mechanisms】
(1) Deficiency of Life Gate Fire: Excessive indulgence in sex or young men engaging in masturbation damages kidney qi, weakening the Life Gate fire, leading to inadequate nourishment of the seminal network. Or, fright damages the kidneys, excessive thinking causes fire to rise uncontrollably, depleting kidney essence, resulting in erectile dysfunction. As recorded in *Leizheng Zhilai*: “Internal injury leads to failure to rise. Hence, erectile dysfunction mostly stems from excessive sexual desire and sperm loss, or excessive mental stress, or fear damaging the kidneys.”
(2) Damp-Heat Descending: Excessive alcohol and rich foods damage the spleen and stomach, impairing transformation and transportation, generating internal dampness, which accumulates and turns into heat, descending to affect the seminal network, causing relaxation and erectile dysfunction. However, this type is less common. As Zhang Jingqiu noted: “Deficiency of fire accounts for about 80%, while excess fire is rare.”
【Differential Diagnosis and Treatment】
(1) Deficiency of Life Gate Fire
Main Symptoms: Inability to achieve or sustain erection, pale complexion, cold limbs, dizziness, blurred vision, low spirits, weak waist and legs, pale tongue with white coating, deep and fine pulse. If accompanied by heart-spleen deficiency, symptoms may include palpitations, timidity, insomnia.
Treatment Principle: Select points on the Ren Meridian and Kidney Channel (Foot Shaoyin). Use tonifying acupuncture and moxibustion to supplement kidney and invigorate yang.
Prescription: Mingmen, Guanyuan, Shenshu, Taixi.
Supplementary Points: Add Xinshu, Shenmen, Sanyinjiao for heart-spleen deficiency.
Explanation: For erectile dysfunction due to deficient Life Gate fire and insufficient kidney yang, select Mingmen, Shenshu, and Taixi to tonify kidney and invigorate yang. Guanyuan is the intersection point of the Three Yin Channels of the Foot and the Ren Meridian. Tonifying it strengthens vital energy, consolidates the root, and fortifies yang. Xinshu, Shenmen, and Sanyinjiao nourish the heart and spleen.
(2) Damp-Heat Descending
Main Symptoms: Flaccid penis unable to erect, accompanied by thirst, red urine, heavy limbs, yellow greasy tongue coating, slippery rapid pulse.
Treatment Principle: Select points on the Ren Meridian and Spleen Channel (Foot Taiyin). Use draining acupuncture to clear and drain damp-heat.
Prescription: Zhongji, Sanyinjiao, Yinlingquan, Zusanli.
Explanation: For erectile dysfunction caused by damp-heat descending, the spleen is impaired by dampness, which accumulates and transforms into heat. Thus, select Sanyinjiao and Yinlingquan to strengthen the spleen and drain dampness. Zhongji clears lower-jiao damp-heat. Zusanli assists the spleen in draining dampness.
【Other Therapies】
Ear Acupuncture
Points: External Genitalia, Testes, Endocrine
Method: Moderate stimulation, rotate the needle every 10 minutes, retain for 30 minutes.