Sterility refers to inability to conceive three years af-ter marriage with normal sexual life and without contra-ception, or inability to conceive for two years after giving birth to a baby or after abortion without contraception. It is usually caused by dysfunction of ovary secretion and o-vum formation or deformity of genital organs. TCM be-lieves that sterility is caused by kidney asthenia and dys-function of the thoroughfare and conception vessels due to as-thenia of kidney essence, liver depression and qi stagnation, blockage of the uterus by phlegm and dampness as well as blood stasis and cold coagulation.
Treatment
Prescription: Zhongji (CV 3 ), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Qixue (Ext.) and Zigong (EX-CA 1).
Modification: For kidney asthenia, Shenshu (BL 23) and Rangu (KI 2) are added; for asthenia of kidney yang, Mingmen (GV 4) and Guanyuan (CV 4) are added; for asthenia of kidney yin, Taixi (KI 3) is added; for liver depression, Ganshu (BL 18), Taichong (LR 3) and Yang-lingquan (GB 34) are added; for phlegm-dampness, Yin-lingquan (SP 9), Fenglong (ST 40), Zusanli (ST 36) and Zhongwan (CV 12) are added; for blood stasis, Geshu (BL 17) and Xuehai (SP 10) are added.
Performance. Needling is given from the 12th day of the menstrual cycle. For the treatment of kidney asthenia, reinforcing needling technique is used; Mingmen (GV 4 ) and Guanyuan (CV 4) are needled with warmed needles or applied with moxa-cone or moxa-roll moxibustion. For the treatment of liver depression, mild reinforcing and reduc-ing needling techniques are used; Ganshu (BL 18) is nee-dled with reinforcing technique, Taichong (LR 3 ) and Yanglingquan (GB 34) are needled with reducing tech-nique. For the treatment of phlegm-dampness syndrome, reducing needling technique is used; Zusanli (ST 36 ) is needled with reinforcing technique and the rest acupoints are needled with reducing techniques. For the treatment of blood stasis, reducing needling technique is used; Ge-shu (BL 17) and Xuehai (SP 10) are tapped with cutane-ous needles and applied with cupping after needling.
