Calling Men! What You Didn’t Know Chinese Medicine Could Treat

It is a well known statistic that women seek healthcare more often than men. This certainly doesn’t mean women have more health concerns than men. There’s been more of a push in the healthcare field to reach out to males, in hope we can treat ailments early for better quality of life.

Many men are seeking out acupuncture and Chinese medicine because it now has a good reputation for treating pain. Whether the job is physically demanding, or very sedentary, aches, pains and injuries are now commonly treated using acupuncture. However, there is much more Chinese medicine can offer in the realm of men’s healthcare.

High Blood Pressure

If blood pressure has been creeping up lately, consider acupuncture. If hypertension is serious enough, of course, you should heed your doctor’s intervention for your safety. Acupuncture, with moderate lifestyle modifications can often be enough if blood pressure is on the lower end of being a concern. Even if you are already on blood pressure regulating prescriptions, acupuncture and Chinese herbal formulas can be a great adjunct to help you treat the root of your symptoms. Having hypertension doesn’t have to be a one way path to life-long prescription drug use.

The practice of meditation, tai chi, and qi gong have been statistically proven to reduce blood pressure. These days, resources for learning any of these can be found online, books, videos, apps, or good old fashion in-person learning at your local YMCA, gym, wellness center, etc. One should follow the guidance of their acupuncturist in regards to appropriate lifestyle changes, including meditation, tai chi and qigong. There are particular methods and exercises that are appropriate, depending on the unique condition.

Benign Prostate Hyperplasia

Generally speaking, most patterns we see in Chinese medicine for this ailment are those of accumulation – whether in the form of fluids, blood or qi, or all three. In turn, most of the changes we advise for patients are to eliminate the contributing factors, which usually includes greasy, fatty foods, dairy, or other substances that may be causing inflammatory reactions in a particular individual (plastics, chemicals, or other toxins).

Acupuncture, along with custom herbal formulas aimed at draining and dredging the accumulation are utilized to help reduce prostate size, and alleviate symptoms. Patients should have proper allopathic testing and evaluation done in order to assess the severity of BPH, or rule out other disorders.

Lack of Libido and/or Low Testosterone

The plethora of chemicals, plastics and other toxins we are all exposed to regularly in our environment can directly interrupt endocrine function. Plastics, in particular, often act like estrogen in the body. While both men and women have estrogen and testosterone, the proper balance is critical. Men’s hormone imbalance can be very disruptive, resulting in fatigue, lack of ability to build muscle, mood fluctuations, and lack of libido.

Male patients are often hesitant to talk to any healthcare practitioner about lack of libido, or anything regarding the bedroom department, but it is a huge quality of life issue! Please bring up any concerns you have about your libido or low-T values (if you’ve had them tested), to see what Chinese medicine can do for you. Likely, dietary changes will be in order, along with a longer term herbal strategy.

Erectile Dysfunction

While your libido may be fine, erectile dysfunction (ED) can be frustrating and embarassing to deal with. Additionally, stress and anxiety can start to build up with more frequent episodes of ED, exacerbating the problem. More and more evidence is pointing to a connection between heart health, circulation, and ED. In other words, it’s a warning sign that should be taken seriously.

While treatments may take longer than Viagra to kick in, you’ll be treating the root of the issue, and other (seemingly unrelated) symptoms will likely improve along the way. Depending on the chronicity, and complexity of the situation, acupuncture can sometimes be enough to right the ship. Herbal medicine, qi gong, or food therapy may be used as adjust treatments as well.

The Wrap Up

Chinese medicine is a comprehensive medical system. Like any system of medicine, it has it’s strengths and weaknesses when it comes to treating the modern person. Essentially, Chinese medicine can treat affect nearly any health condition, and you shouldn’t hesitate to ask your practitioner about any symptoms concerning you. If Chinese medicine is not the right fit, your practitioner will refer you in the right direction to get the care you need.