Article 139: Symptoms, Examinations, and Western Medical Treatment of Male Menopausal Syndrome
◇A Guide to Caring for Your Husband's Health as a Good Wife◇
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Treatment and recuperation of common diseases
What are the symptoms?
Male menopause is a physiological transition from middle age to old age during which the autonomic nervous system's reproductive physiology becomes disordered. After age 45, men experience a decline in gonadal function, manifesting as changes in mood, psychology, interests, energy, appetite, and libido. Common clinical symptoms of menopause include:
1. Symptoms of the vegetative nervous system: restlessness, dizziness, chest tightness, palpitations, shortness of breath, headache, seeing black spots in front of the eyes, and some people may also feel cold limbs.
2. Neuropsychiatric symptoms: nervousness, irritability, temper tantrums, fatigue, frequent feelings of depression, decreased memory, thinking and concentration, reduced sleep, insomnia, decreased interest, numbness, tingling sensations, frequent feelings of anxiety or fear, frequent feelings of loneliness, lack of self-confidence, tendency to dwell on trivial matters, dizziness, tinnitus, blurred vision, and dulled senses.
3. Decreased sexual function: Common symptoms include decreased or absent libido and erectile dysfunction.
4. Urinary system symptoms: frequent urination, increased frequency of urination at night.
5. Skin changes: Nutritional deficiencies in the skin can lead to various skin diseases such as pruritus.
6. Metabolic symptoms: Disorders of fat metabolism, accumulation of fat in the body, and elevated blood cholesterol can lead to atherosclerosis.
What tests should be done?
If plasma testosterone, free testosterone, and albumin-bound testosterone levels are significantly lower than normal, and sperm count is low, abnormal, or absent, and semen is thin and watery, a diagnosis can generally be made.
How does Western medicine treat this?
1. For anxiety and depression, take 25 mg of thiamethoxam three times a day; for those whose daily life is affected, take 25 mg of chlorpromazine three times a day.
2. For suspicion, anxiety and restlessness, mild cases can be treated with central nervous system sedatives such as diazepam 10 mg three times a day or diazepam 10 mg three times a day; for cases with hallucinations and abnormal behavior, chlorpromazine 25 mg three times a day can be taken.
3. For those with autonomic nervous system dysfunction, gastrointestinal digestive disorders, or cardiovascular abnormalities, take 30-60 mg of oryzanol orally daily for 6-12 months.
4. For men with sexual dysfunction, administer 100 mg of testosterone propionate intramuscularly every 7-14 days. Sufficient androgens can alleviate symptoms such as depression, headaches, insomnia, and fatigue, promote health, improve sexual function, and enhance psychological well-being.
How does Traditional Chinese Medicine differentiate syndromes and treat diseases?
1. Liver and gallbladder stagnation and heat type: Symptoms include emotional distress, depression and irritability, mental sensitivity, susceptibility to hallucinations and doubts, vivid dreams at night, timidity and palpitations, dizziness and eye distension, tinnitus, bitter taste in the mouth and dry throat, red tongue with yellow coating, and wiry and rapid pulse.
Treatment principle: Clear heat and relieve depression, soothe the liver and promote bile secretion.
Prescription: Coptis chinensis 6g, Citrus aurantium 10g, Bambusa textilis 12g, Citrus reticulata 10g, Pinellia ternata 10g, Poria cocos 12g, Cyperus rotundus 12g, Citrus medica 6g, Platycladus orientalis seed 10g, Acorus tatarinowii 10g.
2. Heart-Kidney Disharmony Type: Symptoms include irritability, insomnia, vivid dreams, easy startling, anxiety, forgetfulness, dry mouth and throat, dizziness and tinnitus, night sweats, red tongue with little coating, and deep, thready, and rapid pulse.
Treatment principle: harmonize the heart and kidneys.
Prescription: 10g Rehmannia glutinosa, 12g Salvia miltiorrhiza, 12g Scrophularia ningpoensis, 10g Poria cocos, 10g Schisandra chinensis, 6g Polygala tenuifolia, 10g Angelica sinensis, 10g Ophiopogon japonicus, 12g Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa, 10g Platycladus orientalis, 10g Lycium chinense root bark, 2g Cinnamomum cassia.
3. Liver and Kidney Yin Deficiency Type: Symptoms include irritability, depression, tension, dizziness, tinnitus, hearing loss, forgetfulness, dreaminess, night sweats, hot flashes in the palms, soles, and chest, soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees, red tongue with little coating, and thready and rapid pulse.
Treatment principle: Nourish the liver and kidneys.
Prescription: 12g wolfberry, 12g chrysanthemum, 12g prepared rehmannia root, 10g cornus officinalis, 15g yam, 10g alisma plantago-aquatica, 12g poria cocos, 10g peony bark, 12g dodder seed, 10g privet fruit.
4. Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency Type: Symptoms include fatigue, low mood, aversion to cold, cold pain in the lower back, knees or lower abdomen, decreased libido, impotence and premature ejaculation, loose stools or diarrhea in the early morning, clear and copious urine, frequent urination at night, pale and swollen tongue with white and moist coating, and deep and weak pulse.
Treatment principle: Warm and tonify the spleen and kidneys.
Prescription: 10g Rehmannia glutinosa, 15g Lycium barbarum, 15g Cistanche deserticola, 15g Morinda officinalis, 12g Eucommia ulmoides, 12g Achyranthes bidentata, 10g Poria cocos, 15g Dioscorea opposita, 3 jujubes, 4g Foeniculum vulgare, 12g Curculigo orchioides, 12g Epimedium brevicornu, 15g Atractylodes macrocephala (fried).
5. Qi and Blood Deficiency Type: Symptoms include palpitations, fatigue, pale complexion, spontaneous sweating, shortness of breath, poor appetite, loose stools, dizziness, pale tongue, thin white coating, and weak pulse.
Treatment principle: Nourish Qi and Blood.
Prescription: Ginseng 10g, Astragalus 30g, Angelica sinensis 15g, Poria cocos 10g, Atractylodes macrocephala 10g, Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa 10g, Polygala tenuifolia 10g, Longan aril 10g, Aucklandia lappa 6g, Glycyrrhiza uralensis 6g.