Men’s Health Month may be drawing to a close, but we wanted to make it totally clear that men’s health is always a priority at The Which Doctor. My particular area of interest may be women’s health and fertility but *shockingly* those areas are very closely linked to men too. When men are concentrating on their physical and mental well-being, the world is a better place for us all to live in.
In this article, we’re going to discuss all the ways in which Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can support men’s health and why it’s important you don’t put off looking after yourself.
Sperm Count and Male Fertility
Not many of us think about sperm much. Why would we? But, from a TCM point of view, sperm is a very important indicator of vitality and health. Acupuncture, lifestyle changes and traditional Chinese herbs have been used for thousands of years to help improve both male and female fertility.
Acupuncture is the process of inserting tiny needles at various acupuncture points along different meridians throughout the body. This helps to move stagnant Qi (the body’s energy) and increase blood flow. Increasing blood flow to the pelvic region can improve sexual function, sperm production and regulate testis function.
What’s more, acupuncture may be able to help with oxidative stress (when there are too many free radicals in the body) and improve your uptake of important minerals and vitamins. These, in turn, can improve sperm shape and direction.
Lifestyle changes can also greatly impact male fertility. In your first consultation at The Which Doctor, we’ll ask all about your general health – everything from diet and sleep habits to taking a look at your tongue. TCM is a holistic approach to health, meaning we look at your body and lifestyle as a whole.
In addition to acupuncture and herbal medicine, we may also recommend dietary changes, cutting back on alcohol and doing the correct type of exercise (sorry, no bike riding)!
When Should You Make Your First Appointment?
It takes around 3 or 4 months for new sperm to be created. That means the earlier you start to improve your fertility and sperm count, the higher the chances of conception are. Making improvements to your general health can reduce stress and pain, make you sleep better, and improve blood flow which all help with male fertility.
Acupuncture for Men – What Can It Help With?
There are so many different health areas that acupuncture can help men with. Most men looking for treatment find acupuncture to be pain free and provides support to their overall well-being and physical health.
Pain Relief
The number one reason why men come to my South Yarra Clinic is for pain relief. When something as annoying as back pain won’t budge, men quite often look for alternatives.
TCM is based on the idea of the body being in balance. Everyone has a unique Yin and Yang balance, which changes and fluctuates over time. Men, generally, have more Yang in them – this is the active, masculine and hot energy. This is one of the possible reasons why men get more injuries.
In TCM terms, injuries can be categorised into deficient and excessive injuries. Deficient injuries are slow, chronic and not always painful. The body’s Qi and blood are depleted, causing muscles to give out and dully ache. These types of injuries can be supported with gentle acupuncture and moxibustion therapy to build up blood and Qi supply.
An excessive injury is when blood and Qi become stagnated, often caused by a particular trauma (slipping on the stairs or lifting something heavy). The pain is intense, stabbing and constant. For these types of injuries, treatment is usually more vigorous including cupping therapy, oils and acupuncture. These help your body to naturally provide an anti-inflammatory response.
Common conditions we see a lot of at The Which Doctor are back pain, shoulder pain, neck pain, arthritis and elbow pain.
Insomnia
Insomnia can have a huge impact on your mental and physical health. Not only is it incredibly frustrating but it can weaken your body and its natural defences.
Acupuncture has been used to treat insomnia for thousands of years in both men and women. Not only can it minimise insomnia but it can also help treat conditions such as stress, anxiety and pain which cause insomnia.
Your TCM practitioner may also suggest herbal medicine to help you sleep, with no need to take strong sleep medication.
Improve Sex Life
That’s right – and it’s not all about sperm count either. Acupuncture has been shown to improve erectile dysfunction too. It helps with stress and anxiety, which are often the root cause of erectile dysfunction.
Stress
As a society, we don’t focus on men’s mental health enough. Rather than getting support, men are often told to ‘man up’, which can lead to a build-up of stress, anxiety and low mood. Whilst we are making moves in the right direction, there are things men can do to balance their stress hormones, and acupuncture is one of them.
Acupuncture helps to regulate the body and remove blockages or stagnant energy which could be causing pain and stress.
Headaches
Another very common reason why people visit The Which Doctor is for headaches. Migraines and general headaches can really have an impact on daily life. Acupuncture is a pain free way to support and reduce headache pain.
Gut Problems
In your first consultation, you can expect your TCM practitioner to ask about your bowel movements. Whilst that might seem a bit much (especially on our first meeting) we can learn a lot about your overall well-being from your gut health.
Dietary changes, as well as herbal remedies and acupuncture, can help support several gut disturbances such as diarrhoea, constipation, IBS and bloating.
Time For You To Give TCM A Go?
TCM is a great way to support your body’s natural defences and improve your physical and mental well-being. In general, men are less likely to seek the support they need – whether that be for their mental health or a reoccurring injury. We’d like to change that.
The Which Doctor is a clinic open to all, dedicated to improving health, welfare and happiness. If you have questions or would like to book an appointment, get in touch with us today. We’ll be happy to support you as you become the healthiest you can be.