Men's Health
Men typically turn to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in order to treat lower back pain or some other injury, but in TCM we always consider your complete health history. We do this for more than one reason. Firstly, in order to diagnose you, we need to know all of your symptoms, not just the one that made you come in for treatment. Secondly, several of your symptoms may be related (in a TCM way), and if they are, we can apply treatment strategically so we can relieve more than one symptom at the same time.
Erectile Dysfunction (ED) and Low Libido
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a frustrating problem that can occur in bouts of several weeks, or can last for months or years. It can be caused by certain pharmaceutical drugs, a heart condition, diabetes or emotional factors, and affects men of all ages. Some men don't have any of those factors, yet still struggle with ED.
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Though it is normal for the libido to decrease with age in both men and women, low libido can also occur during times of great stress, after surgery, or if you are chronically tired or depressed.
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Both ED and low libido can be resolved with TCM, and part of this process includes addressing other symptoms that may be contributing to the problem. Be sure also that you've had a recent full physical with your family doctor in order to ensure nothing has been overlooked.
Starting a Family?
Low libido and ED are frustrating problems at any stage of life, but they are especially important to address for a young man that wants to start a family. This changes the magnitude of the problem into a fertility and family planning issue that must be resolved sooner than later.
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While it is less common for young men to experience low libido, it does occur and it frequently (but not always) goes along with long standing fatigue and feeling too cold compared with other people. Typically, once the energy is boosted and the body temperature made comfortable again, the libido will return to normal for their age.
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A combination of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine is very effective at restoring the libido and normalizing erectile function and can often improve in a matter of weeks.
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Where do the needles go?
Note that when treating ED and low libido, the acupuncture needles do not go anywhere near the genitalia. One of the great features of acupuncture is that the appropriate acupuncture points are often far away from the affected region. For example, it is often the case that in order to affect the head, it is very effective to apply treatment to the feet. Dr. Baert can explain this to you in more detail in person if you have concerns.
Ejaculation that is Too Frequent Can Lead to Low Libido and Erectile Difficulty
The Chinese have much sage advice on this topic that is very important to know. Believe it or not, whether you're on your own or with a partner, ejaculating too frequently over many years can drain your energy to the point where your libido drops, or an erection becomes difficult to get or maintain. With treatment, it is possible to regain your vigour, but it is considered wise to also reduce the frequency of ejaculation in order to reduce the associated loss of energy and allow the treatment to take effect.
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Of course, everyone wants to know, how much is too much? Frequency should decline as we age and the ancient Chinese texts are actually fairly specific about it. Generally, the Chinese think that ejaculating too frequently hastens aging and that the frequency should gradually decrease with age in order to protect health and save energy. This might not be an appealing choice if you're feeling healthy, but if you're often tired, your low back is often sore, you tend to feel cold, or you lack motivation, then you may want to consider this ancient wisdom and decrease the frequency.
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