Question:
Chinese medicine teachers talk a lot about spermatorrhea. What exactly does this mean, from a physiological viewpoint?
Answer:
Dr. Shaheen has written a great article in the current issue on the western medical view of this concept. There are several conditions in which semen can be emitted in a way that would be considered pathological according to Traditional Chinese Medicine. I think there are two conditions that are most likely referred to as “spermatorrhea,” a term that is archaic in western medicine.
One is nocturnal emission, which occurs more in younger men, and the other is premature ejaculation, which could be considered a form of impotence, in that it prevents a successful conclusion to the sexual experience, and can occur in men of any age.
Both are considered harmless in Western medicine, but are of concern in Chinese medicine. Because fluids and yin are so important in balancing the bodily fiery yang, any excessive loss of fluids, whether seminal, urinary, sweat or blood, could result in a yin/yang imbalance. In class, I rely on my students to help each other understand functions and processes particular to males and females. I asked my male students, “nocturnal emission: is that a good or a bad thing?” Most said it was great, and one added poetically, “It’s like making love to your dream.” (One said it wasn’t good if you were 14 and living at home with your parents.)
(Painting by Vincent Hui)
I treated a male, age 49, with unexplained blood in the semen. He was examined by a urologist, with no findings. The diagnosis was “idiopathic hematospermia,” “idiopathic” meaning “we don’t know why.” This patient masturbated frequently (several times every day), and suffered from chronic low back pain. He also had problems at home: his wife slept with their 10-year old son, leaving him to sleep alone. This is not a case of spermatorrhea, but it is an example of how frequent loss of seminal fluids can damage yin and jing and cause heat in the blood. I treated him with a formula consisting of hemostatics, yin tonics and herbs to clear deficiency heat, and I advised him to cut his masturbation by 50%.
After two packs of herbs, the blood disappeared. So, keep in mind that “spermatorrhea” is a symptom of an underlying potential problem in the kidney, according to the Chinese Zang Fu system, and maintaining the health of the kidney is crucial to overall well-being. This is why many of the most famous Chinese herbs stabilize and bind the kidney jing essence.
Please direct any questions you may have to Julie Chambers, L.Ac. at info@juliechamberslac.com