tcm and orgasm
Hi all,
An interesting symptom arose with a patient this week about her lack of
orgasm for 30 years, she is now 51 It is a subject not touched upon by tcm.
She presents with Spleen Qi Xu (muzzy head, swollen tongue, worry) and some
blood xu. Liver Qi stagnation is evident but there is a sense of repression
rather than obvious anger. I immediately thought about using Ren points and
trying to unblock any obvious stagnation but I would love to hear anyone's
thoughts. Of course I will answer any questions that may give a fuller
picture.
Thanks
Judy
Hi Judy,
While this is not a TCM point, according to Kiiko Matsumoto's Style, Japanese LU10 (its location is slightly different than TCM) is also known as Hukaya's impotence or libido point when there is an underlying Kidney deficiency. It is a strong Kidney tonification point and usually isn't needled but is stimulated with 8-10 direct thread moxa. It also helps release the QL muscle and can be massaged if person has low back pain. When moxing this point I had a person actually get an erection. While I don't know if it has the same effect on women, it may be something to look into.
Judy, I think that you are going in the right direction. I will just add a couple points:
- Unfulfilled desires are the main cause of Qi stagnation, which will affect the liver and in this case I would think that heart.
- The heart is connected to the uterus via the Bao Mai. Using methods to open this channel up may help
- I think that working on the root emotional problem is very important. Encouraging this woman to find joy, fun, and romance in her life again (if it is absent) will obviously be beneficial. Referring her to a counsellor may be needed.
- If there is spleen Qi vacuity, there is most likely dampness and phlegm accumulation, which can block the normal flow of Qi and blood, and may make her somewhat "numb" and unable to experience orgasm. Think about the obvious case of when we have a bad cold and our congested sinuses prevent us from smelling the beautiful smells of the flowers around us!
Just my thoughts,
Trevor
www.skin.health-info.org
www.acubalance.ca
Hi Judy
I agree with Trevor and the Heart. Here the Yin receiving aspect of her Heart is blocked.
From what you have written I would be interested to know what happened 30 years ago about the time she stopped having orgasms.
Does she masturbate? Has she been with the same sexual partner this whole time?
My guess is that there is some trauma blocking her ability to feel sexual pleasure. Maybe it is sexual abuse, a partner dying, repressed homosexual tendencies etc.
Opening her up with Ren 17 and getting her to express with Ren 22 and you or a counselor getting her to talk about it would be my approach.
Kaleb
A few other points of clarification might also help.
Such as, you mentioned she hasent orgasmed in 30 years. Does this imply that she had before this point when she was younger? Also another interesting point of diagnosis is wether she has the ability to orgasm on her own without a parter. If she can, is the inability to do so with a partner due to:
a) emotional reason (ie, lv stag, heart blockage)
b) technique issue (lack of clear communication of needs)
c) situational (again, lack of communication of needs/ desires)
d) other?
Does she still experience arousal/ physical desire for sex?
Does she enjoy sex otherwise? Are there any mechanical issues at play? (Dampness and stagnation can cause issues, or blood def).
Is she on any anti-depressents or other medication?
These things could help give you a clearer picture of when/ how things started and why. With this information, making a TCM diagnosis of this specific issue would be more clear.
Just 2 more cents..
Judy,
This is a great topic. I have a couple more questions for you to pose to your patient. Does she take asthma meds? and does she suffer from vaginal dryness or insufficient lubrication during intercourse. In my practice some of my patients on asthma meds have complained of a lack of libido since taking medication. If there is insufficient lubrication, intercouse can become painful - maybe she is embarrassed to use lubricants? This could indicate a yin deficiency and some type of heat complex.
Good luck.
Yael Newman
Doctor of Chinese Medicine
Hi Judy,
Some points I think can work are PC 6 or PC 7. PC 6 they also use when the erection doesn't stop anymore. And PC 7 especially when there are relational problems.
Other interesting points are Liv 12 as being the command point of the external genitals as being the yin expression in the outside world.
The yang expression is done through the point St 29.
Further you can use the Dai Mo, as being the expression of the Sea of Ming Men to take the tension away in the earea together with some already mentioned Heart or Pericard points.
And DM 20 can also be very usefull is this regard.
All the best Frank
Kiiko demonstrated a treatment when she taught in vancouver for Pro D. She uses the points below on women to increase blood flow to the lower jiao and to increase libido. She obviusly does her diagnosis palpation style to detrmine if they are the correct points.
Did your patient mention if she also has low libido?
Anyway, she jokingly described the following as an acupuncture Viagra treatment for women.
K-13 (direct moxa and needle) Ren 4, Ren 6 and Ren 12 all needle in the direction of the Ren channel (upward)
Lorne
www.acubalance.ca
www.prodseminars.com
Past all the good suggestions so far, there are a few considerations as yet not mentioned.
The Taoist sexual traditions and other energy self help could be useful here.
Working with gyne and fertility, it becomes essential to NOT stick the qi up further through having orgasm-less sex. That means most women put their hands up - at least sometimes.
So - besides the pill and other issues (including the passage of time) slowing up/stopping testosterone function in our ovaries, leading to not feeling like it, not missing it and possibly losing the ability to orgasm, there is also boredom with the partner, shame and guilt from wherever - a lot have sexual abuse issues stemming from very early life - and the effects of being emotionally disconnected from self/life and going through the motions generally.
The programmes that run us are deep and often not accessible.
www.nourishingtraditions.com may start some down a path of self discovery.
The Quodoushka sacred sexual workshops are empowering as they allow a very different look at this. Having been to many of them, and having been an assistant in one, I have experienced/watched the layers of civilized dogma leave behind a clear being - and from there, orgasm is only one of the benefits- being aware of self and how we play the games we do that sets up what next has a part to play here.
The actual tension/angst stored in women's bodies is of particular concern. What sets it up? What to do about it? Perhaps watch DVD footage after reading http://sharpen-up-your-results.com/articles/niceness.html
Working with pelvic opening in very pregnant women, I discovered that very deep massage /slow gouging worked well - after moxa up the lower GV to the waist, then fanning it out over the sacrum. Only pure moxa punk- the smokeless is no use here. From there, the relaxation and ease of flow in the entire being is magic to watch. http://sharpen-up-your-results.com/articles/actualstuckliverqimovement.html has info on this.
“Birthing – What Dads Can Do” DVD available from Pro D has the actual footage of all I mention here – and it is profound – just using a rolfing technique across the mid thoracic area – to liberate a lot of the Stuck Liver Qi – and hence start the flow moving is available on the download area of the site mentioned..
As we are primates the touch aspect can precede and also finish off a few well placed needles.
I also use Aura Soma oils – and they do an amazing job of opening people into where they are holding their stuff – and releasing on many deeply held layers simultaneously allows the intention of healing to maybe get to another realm.
The pelvic massage – initially warming up the whole area then moving into slow deep gouging form the sacrum out laterally and then concentrating on the general area of GB 30 allows the intense everything that has been stored the chance to be addressed. From there, extreme (lose your finger) pressure on Bl 35, angling 45 degrees towards the perineum opens up for birthing and also releases for orgasms.
It is then we can also allow more juiciness to flow vaginally. Also comes under the heading more foreplay. It also seems to stir the gents’ loins when performing service to her butt – and allows more time for the couple to actually relate as usually she starts remembering and wanting to speak on things deeply gone. (search for Julianne’s PCOS story on the same site).
Often just massaging deeply the upper chest – opening the intercostals spaces at the end of a treatment – esp if the upper back was stared with – and maybe then sandwiched in between, Pc 6 . . . .
Then we may think to clear the blockages caused through ops and esp C sections - again there is an article on 'sharpen up' regarding this - as it often completely alters how sensation is felt from then on - and the rash of C sections and us NOT clearing the sequelae is possibly why secondary infertility and placental problems flow.
Ear acup - is often all that is needed to set off good feelings down there. So too GB 41, and often I may use all the points on it and then moxa the CV line - we can be very inventive when we open up to meridian flow.
I would suggest we start playing with this topic as we are all sexual creatures and often men have big issues here.
I was offering one of the elective workshops in a symposium in NZ and only about 5% of the participants appeared at the other workshop - we all need to know how to undo men's potential prostate blockages (this is yet to be posted on the site) - and is deep lymphatic drainage and prostatic clearance.
It had the immediate effect of clearing many men's old testicular injuries and urine flow problems - we all could do with some tender loving care and health maintenance . . . .
Using all of the startup moxa/massage and needling - often with moxa prior to these maneuvers works best.
The as mentioned we have the relating issue.
An amazing book to source is "What Every Woman Would Want Her Man to Know About Sex" bu the Riley's- I used to use this as a manual for all undergoing IVF as the passion well and truly dies n the midst of all that grief.
Anythng by Manktek Chia is esp useful - "The Multi Orgasmic Man" and "Cultivating Female Sexulity" . . .
Also - we all need tenderness not just the destination.
www.easybabies.com.au
www.sharpen-up-your-results.com
Joined: 2008-10-03