Chinese Medicine Gem

For male infertility treatments, Chinese medicine can help improve the quantity and quality of the sperm by correcting the imbalance and improving the physique with herbs and acupuncture. I have talked about the causes of male infertility in my previous article. Next I would like talk about the common male infertility treatments accordingly.

Male infertility treatments from different point of views

There is a very popular parallel between women and soil in Chinese medicine. If the soil is fertile, any plants can grow and thrive and bear good fruit. On the contrary, if the soil is infertile, it is difficult for any plants to grow on it. So the same is true to men. For male infertility, the priority is to improve their physique, which is the soil of the sperm.

From the point of view of modern medicine, a man may have a rare genetic or hormone deficiency which causes infertility. Clinically usually there are two types of male infertility.

• One is azoospermia, which refers to no sperm seen on semen analysis.
• The other is oligospermia, which refers to poor or low sperm count.

Given that sperm is the most vulnerable individuals, whose quantity and quality remarkably depend on the health of the internal environment of a man. Furthermore, external toxins and body fluids of pH play a decisive role on the vitality of the sperm.

Basic principles for male infertility treatments with Chinese medicine

The basic principles for male infertility treatments with Chinese medicine are to warm kidney, assist Yang, benefit and replenish kidney. However, the physicians should follow them wisely during therapies.

• In the syndrome of Yang deficiency, it should obtain Yang energy from transforming Yin energy.
• In the syndrome of Yin deficiency, it should benefit Yin energy from transforming Yang energy.

What’s more, while benefiting and replenishing kidney in male infertility treatments, we should pay extra attention to those secondary symptoms.

• Add herbs of invigorating Qi in the case of Qi deficiency;
• Add herbs of nourishing blood in the case of blood deficiency;
• Add herbs of clearing heat and promoting diuresis in the case of dampness-heat;
• Add herbs of removing blood stasis by promoting blood circulation in the case of blood stasis.

Specifically, from the perspective of Chinese medicine, there are four common male infertility treatments.

Male infertility treatment one: kidney deficiency

Chinese medicine thinks kidney dominates people’s reproductive health. And the most important thing for male fertility is the essence of the kidney. Also kidney governs part of the endocrine system, nervous system and circulatory functions.

• In the case of kidney Yang deficiency, the symptoms include systemic metabolic dysfunction, energy deprivation and poor production of kidney essence.
• In the case of kidney Yin deficiency, the symptoms include hyperactive systemic metabolism and fast consumption of energy.

Therefore, if male fertility is diagnosed as kidney Yang deficiency, the treatment should be taken with benefiting kidney while strengthen Yang.

The common formula for this type of male infertility is Zan Yu Dan, in which herbs include:

• Ba Ji Tian (Radix Morindae Officinalis);
• Yin Yang Huo (Herba Epimedii);
• She Chuang Zi (Fructus Cnidii Monnieri);
• Jiu Cai Zi (Allium tuberosum seed);
• Xian Mao (Rhizoma Curculiginis Orchioidis);
• Rou Cong Rong (Herba Cistanches Deserticolae);
• Shan Zhu Yu (Fructus Corni Officinalis).
• …

If male fertility is diagnosed as kidney Yin deficiency, The common formulas for this type of male infertility are Wu Zi Yan Zong Wan or Zhi Bo Di Huang Wan, in which herbs include:

• Shu Di Huang (Radix Rehmanniae Glutinosae Praeparata);
• He Shou Wu (Polygonum multiflorum);
• Gui Ban (Plastrum Testudinis);
• Tu Si Zi (Semen Cuscutae Chinensis);
• Gou Ji Zi (Fructus Lycii);
• Huang Jing (Rhizoma Polygonati);
• Shan Yao (Dioscorea opposita);
• …

Male infertility treatment two: deficiency of both Qi and blood

If the male infertility sufferer has the following symptoms, it should adopt the treatment of invigorating blood and Qi.

• Lack of semen;
• Low sperm count;
• Sallow complexion;
• Weakness look;
• Lazy words;
• Unwillingness to speak;
• Dizziness;
• Pale tongue with thin white coating;
• Weak deep thready pulse or systemic dysfunction.

The common treatment formula for this type of male infertility is Ba Zhen Tang, in which herbs include:

• Dang Gui (Angelica sinensis);
• Chuan Xiong (Radix Ligustici Wallichii);
• Bai Shao Yao (Radix Paeoniae Lactiflorae);
• Shu Di Huang (Radix Rehmanniae Glutinosae Praeparata);
• Ren Shen (Radix Ginseng);
• Bai Zhu (White Atractylodes Rhizome);
• …

Male infertility treatment three: dampness-heat in lower Jiao

If the male infertility sufferer has the following symptoms, it should adopt the treatment of clearing heat and promoting diuresis.

• Erectile dysfunction;
• Yellow viscous or non-liquefaction semen;
• Dizziness and heaviness of the body;
• Drowsiness and fatigue;
• Abdominal bloating;
• Yellow urine;
• Pink tongue with thin yellow or greasy yellow coating;
• Stringy and slippery pulse.

The common treatment formula for this type of male infertility is Bi Xie Feng Qing Yin, in which herbs include:

• Bi Xie (Dioscorea hypoglauca rhizome);
• Che Qian Zi (Plantago asiatica seed);
• Fu ling (Poria);
• Shi Chang Pu (Rhizoma Acori Graminei);
• …

Male infertility treatment four: stagnation of liver Qi

If the male infertility sufferer has the following symptoms, it should adopt the treatment of dispersing stagnated liver Qi and clearing stagnated heat.

• Low sperm motility and bad quality sperm;
• Chest tightness;
• Restless and hard time to fall asleep;
• Pain and bloating in costal regions;
• Dark tongue with thin yellow or thin white coating;
• Stringy pulse.

The common treatment formula for this type of male infertility is Chai Hu Shu Gang Yin, in which herbs include:

• Chai Hu (Radix Bupleuri);
• Zhi Qiao (Fructus Aurantii);
• Bai Shao Yao (Radix Paeoniae Lactiflorae);
• Xiang Fu (Nut Grass Rhizome);
• Chen Pi (Citrus reticulata);
• …

Male infertility treatments with Chinese herbs and acupuncture can improve the quantity and quality of the sperm greatly. The theory is that Chinese medicine is not just eyeing on the individual sperm defect, instead male infertility is treated through improving the physique and internal condition. Therefore, Chinese medicine practitioners should collect and analyze data such as medical record, examination reports, inquiry, pulse taking and palpation before determining the type of male infertility, and then finally give prescription.