Acupoints Selected:
1) Shenmen (HT 7), Taixi (KI3), Shenshu (BL23), Jinggong (Extra.), Shiguan (KI 18), Ganshu (BL 18), Taichong (LR 3), Ligou (LR 5).
2) Zusanli (ST 36), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Xuehai (SP 10), Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zhongji (CV 3), Mingrnen (GV 4).
Action: Soothing heart to tranquilize mind and replenishing kidney to strengthen yang.
Elucidation:
According to TCM theory, male infertility is always related to congenital weakness, defect of the thoroughfare vessel and conception vessel, hypofunction of reproduction, or asthenia of renal qi, deficiency of semen. Hence, Shenmen (HT 7) is selected to soothe heart to tranquilize mind. Yuan-Source point of the kidney meridian and Back-Shu point of the bladder meridian, an association of Shu-Yuan, are selected to nourish renal yin. Jinggong and Shiguan (KI 18), anterior-posterior as well as internal-external compatibility of acupoints, are selected to tonify kidney to promote essence generation. The liver meridian flows through the external genital, reaches the lower abdomen, and the divergent meridian of it converges at the tibiae, runs upward to the testicle, then concentrates at the penis.
Hence Ganshu (BL 18), Back-Shu point of the liver, and Taichong (LR 3), the Source-Yuan point of the liver meridian, as well as Ligou (LR 5), the Luo-Connecting point of it, are selected to disperse stagnated liver qi, to activate blood circulation to dredge collaterals. Zusanli (ST 36) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) are internally-externally selected to supplement spleen and stomach to nourish qi as well as blood. Xuehai (SP 10) is added to produce the coordinated effect of invigorating spleen to tonify blood with the above two acupoints. Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4) and Zhongji (CV 3), the acupoints of the conception vessel and the sources of renal qi below the umbilicus, are selected to supplement renal qi whose fullness can make essence generate. Mingmen (GV 4), an aucpoint of the governor vessel, which is located at the middle of bilateral Shenshu (BL23) and is anterior- posterior as well as conception vessel-governor vessel compatibility of acupoints with Guanyuan (CV 4), is selected to tonify kidney to strengthen yang.
Indication:
Sexual disorder and male infertility due to abnormal sperm. The clinical manifestations are postmarital infertility, soreness and weakness of the loins and knees, hyposexuality, impotence, prospermia, seminal emission, frequent micturition, lassitude, vertigo, palpitation, insomnia, oligospermia and asthenospermia.
Performance:
Shenmen (HT 7) is needled vertically 0.3 - 0.5 cun. The needle is manipulated with the reinforcing method achieved by swirling-rotating after the acuesthesia is felt. Taixi (KI3) is needled vertically 0.5 - 1 cun with the reinforcing method achieved by slow-quick needling manipulated on the needle. Shenshu (BL23) and Jinggong (Extra.) are needled vertically 1 cun with the reinforcing method achieved by slow-quick needling manipulated on the needles. After needling, mild moxibustion with moxa rolls is applied for 15 - 20 minutes, or 10 - 15 moxa cones of ginger moxibustion is applied on the points. Shiguan (KI 18) is needled vertically 1 - 1.2 cun with the reinforcing method achieved by swirling-rotating manipulated on the needle.
The needles in Ganshu (BL 18), Taichong (LR 3) and Ligou (LR 5) are manipulated with the reinforcing method achieved by slow-quick needling after the acuesthesia is felt. Zusanli (ST 36), Sanyinjiao (SP6) and Xuehai (SP 10) are needled vertically 1 - 1.5 cun. The needles are manipulated with the reinforcing method achieved by slow-quick needling after the acuesthesia is felt. After needling, Zusanli (ST 36) is moxibusted with moxa rolls for 15 minutes. Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4) and Zhongji (CV 3) are needled vertically 0.8 - 1.2 cun (after evacuating the bladder) with the reinforcing method achieved by slow-quick needling manipulated on the needles. After needling, mild moxibustion with moxa rolls is applied for 20 minutes, or 10 - 15 moxa cones of ginger moxibustion is applied on the acupoints.
Mingmen (GV 4) is needled vertically 0.5 - 1 cun with the reinforcing method achieved by slow-quick needling manipulated on the needle. After needling, mild moxibustion with moxa rolls is applied for 20 minutes, or 10 - 15 moxa cones of ginger moxibustion is applied on the acupoint. The needles are all retained for 30 minutes. The two groups of acupoints are selected alternately every other day. Ten times make up one course.
