In Chinese medicine, problems with sperm motility often originate in the kidneys. The kidneys are a critical organ in men’s health, as practitioners believe it supports energy, motivation, and sexual health/desire. When Chinese medicine practitioners treat male reproductive issues, they frequently target the kidneys.
Kidney deficiencies can be the result of deficiencies in other organs. For one of our patients, this was the case with their sperm motility issues.
A Sperm Motility Case Study from Our Practice
Before we begin any treatment in our clinic, we perform a full examination and work to differentiate a diagnosis before prescribing treatment. This was our approach for a recent patient who visited us for male reproductive issues. The patient initially visited us to correct a sperm motility issue, but following examination, a weak spleen and weak lungs were the real problems, which had cascaded down to the kidneys and affected sperm motility.
Our treatment approach was to fortify the spleen and lungs. This was done with an herbal formulation – Si Jun Zi Tang – proven to support better spleen and lung function. In fact, the smallest portion of the prescribed treatment was dedicated to the kidneys. This may seem counterintuitive, but it makes sense within the context of Chinese medicine.
In Chinese Medicine, Organ Health is About Balance
A major point of contrast between Chinese and western medicine is the systemic versus compartmentalized concept of organ health. Here’s how west and east differ in this area:
- Western medicine – In western medicine, physicians tend to think of organs in isolation. Disease, and their associated treatments, are targeted to certain organs or organ groups.
- Chinese medicine – In Chinese medicine, every organ is just one part of a larger network of organs, connected via cardiovascular pathways and meridians that channel qi, or the body’s essential life energies. As such, if one organ is out of balance, it can have cascading effects that cause health problems in other organs.
In Chinese medicine, the root problem causing sperm motility or another condition may not always be obvious, or even located in the organ that’s affected. That’s because practitioners recognize the interconnected nature of the body – a philosophy that guides our practice when diagnosing and treating disease.