9 46 9
Treatment of Impotence by Point-through-point Acupuncture
plus Tuina
JIN Hong(~ ~z), ZHANG Li-rong(~ff ~), ZHANG Qian (~
Heilongjiang Universityof qL-'M,Harbin, 150040, China
,r i" 68~,] ~ g e , ~ o ~ ' ~
~,i, ,g.:g ~t ~ 95.6~ o
~i~: ~ ~,Ir ~ ~t~e
Abstract: Sixty-eight impotence patients were treated by needling Guanyuan(CV 4) through
Zhongji(CV 3) and routine acupuncture at Huiyin(CV 1) and Sanyinjiao(SP 6) in cooperation
with loin, sole and hypogastrium Tuina. The results showed that cure occurred in 28 cases,
marked effectiveness in 29 cases, effectiveness in 8 cases and ineffectiveness in 3 cases, with a
total efficacy rate of 95.6%.
Key Words: Impotence; Acupuncture Therapy; Massage; Tuina
CLC number:R246.7
Document code:B
Impotence, also named erectile dysfunction (ED),
is clinically a common male disease and refers to
male inability to achieve or sustain an erection
during sexual intercourse although there is a sexual
desire, which influences normal sex life.
TCM considers that impotence is related to the Liver,
Kidney and Stomach Meridians, of which the Kidney
Meridian is the most important. It is often caused by
indulge in sexual pleasure leading to deficiency of
essential qi and decline of vital gate fire or overanxiety
impairing the heart, spleen and kidney and can also
result from the failure of the liver to maintain free flow
of qi and downward flow of damp heat into the penis.
According to etiology, impotence can be classified during
two types: psychic and organic. The characteristics of
psychic impotence is that it is intermittent and relates to
the patient's emotions and environment and that the
penis can normally erect during sleep, bladder filling or
sexual excitement but cannot during sexual intercourse
and fails in it. This type of impotence accounts for 80%-
90%. The characteristic of organic impotence is that the
penis cannot erect under any conditions or impotence is
persistent, and gets aggravated progressively.
Clinical Data
1. Inclusion criteria
A clinical examination showed the normal
development of the reproductive organ without
deformity, trauma and surgical injury. Serum FSH
Journal of Aepuncture and Tuina Science, Oct. 2005. Vol.3, No.
~)
28 4~,],.ff_~ 29 ~ , j , ~ 8~,] , ~ 3
and LH were normal. All the patients could erect
their penises in a nocturnal erection test but could
not achieve an effective erection during sexual
intercourse and could not normally copulate in
most instances.
2. General data
Of the 68 patients, the ages ranged between 23
and 60 and the duration of disease was from 6
months to 10 years.
T h e r a p e u t i c Methods
1. Point-through-point acupuncture
Main points: Guanyuan (CV 4), Zhongji (CV 3),
Huiyin (CV 1) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6).
Adjunct points: Shenshu (BL 23), Taichong (LR
3), Mingmen (GV 4), Shenmen (HT 7), Neiguan (PC
6) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6).
Methods: Needling Guanyuan (CV 4) through
Zhongji(CV 3) was performed. The patient emptied
urine and took a supine position. The operator
inserted a needle into point Guanyuan (CV 4) by
holding its tip with the left hand and its handle
with the right hand and manipulated it until qi
arrived. After the arrival of qi, the needle was lift
under the skin and inserted obliquely through
Zhongji(CV 3) with the needle body at an angle of
15~ ~ to the skin. The needle was manipulated to
make the needling sensation go to the perineum and
the penis until it did not go. The other points were
 Journal of Acpuneture and Tuina Science, Oct. 2005. Vol.3, No.5
acupunctured routinely. The needles were retained
for 30 min.
2. Tuina
Loin Tuina: The two hands were rubbed each
other until they became warm. The loins were
closely pressed with the hands and forcibly rubbed
downwards to the coccyx and then back, repeatedly
for 30 times.
Arch Tuina: The two hands were rubbed each
other until they became warm. Each arch of the foot
was rubbed with hand for 80 times.
Hypogastrium Tuina: After loin and arch
massages, the patient sat upright and concentrated
on Dantian for 2 min, then pressed the
hypogastrium with the left hand and massaged it
counterclockwise for 36 circles and next with the
right hand instead and clockwise for 36 circles, and
last gave massage from the hypogastrium to the
penis for 30 times.
The above Tuina was given once daily, 10 times as
a course of treatment. The curative effects were
evaluated after 2 courses of treatment.
Therapeutic Results
1. Criteria of curative effects
Cure: The clinical symptoms disappeared, the
penis erected firmly and the sex life returned to
normal.
Marked effectiveness: The penis erected firmly for
short time, half number of the sexual intercourses
was successful and the frequency of sex life
waslower than before the diseases occurred.
Improvement: The clinical symptoms improved,
the penis did not erected firmly and the sexual
intercourse was narrowly successful.
Ineffectiveness: The clinical symptoms did not
improve and the sexual intercourse was
unsuccessful.
2. Curative effects
Of the 68 patients, cure occurred in 28 cases,
marked effectiveness in 29 cases, improvement in 8
cases and ineffectiveness in 3 cases, with a total
efficacy rate of 95.6%.
3. Case report
The patient was 28 years old. He had a 8 years'
history of masturbation during his adolescence and
could not copulate after marriage. The penis could
not erect, accompanied by seminal emission. He was
diagnosed with psychic impotence, and western
medicine and psychotherapy were ineffective. There
were insomnia, dreaminess, lassitude, dizziness,
lumbar soreness, genual softness and anorexia.
9 47 9
Treatment was administrated according to
supplementing primordial qi, reinforcing the spleen
and warming the kidney. The above treatment was
provided in cooperation with proper psychological
help and sexual education. Spirit got better,
insomnia, dreaminess, lumbar soreness, and genual
softness improved, and appetite became a little
better in the patient 1 week later. His sex life
returned to normal after 9 treatments. He was told
to continue massage treatment, pay attention to rest
and restrain sex life. All the symptoms disappeaed
and the sex life was satisfactory at a follow-up after
6 weeks.
Experience
Point-through-point acupuncture is one of
acupuncture methods and clinically applied
extensively. Ling Shu ((( ~ ~ ))) first states that
"Perpendicular needling is insertion of a needle by
pinching the skin". The descendants named it along-
skin needling or transverse needling. Doctors in Jin
and Yuan dynasties(960-1368 AD.) proposed point-
through-point acupuncture with " one needle
through two points". Point-through-point acu-
puncture enlarges a stimulated area and increases
needling intensity or makes the transmission of the
needling sensation easy. Of the treated patients,
many felt a strong needling sensation reaching the
penis and the glans. The strong transmission
produced a better result.
Tuina therapy is noninvasive, unpainful and easy
for patients to accept. It should be performed gently
and dexterously. Intense pressing should be
avoided. The loin is passed by the Belt Vessel,
houses the kidney, likes warmth and dislikes cold.
Palm massage can warm the loin, unblock the Belt
Vessel and reinforce the lumbus and the kidney. The
arch of the foot pertains to the heart meridian and
arch massage can refresh the mind and harmonize
water with fire. Replenishing water to eliminate fire
is used for flaring-up of deficiency-type fire and
removing burning fire from under the boiler for
excessive fire.
Point-through-point acupuncture in combination
with massage has a marked effect on impotence. Its
mechanism is unblocking meridians and regulating
visceral functions. Attention should be paid to
refraining sex life and taking little wine and spicy
food.
Translator: WANG Si-you ( i~ ~ ~1~)
Received date:May. 10. 2005