Patient's question:
Are there any methods to enhance sexual function?Doctor's answer:
Hello: Qigong has a long history in China and is a method used by ancient people for maintaining health, regulating breathing, and strengthening the body. Its characteristic is holistic therapy, through the combined effects of regulating the body, breathing, and mind, it can replenish energy, enhance vital essence, and achieve the goals of strengthening the body, maintaining health, treating diseases, and prolonging life. At the same time, it can significantly improve sexual function in both men and women and treat various sexual dysfunctions.Common sexual health practices include exercises like refining essence, energy circulation, sleeping exercises, and kidney-tonifying practices. Taking refining essence exercises as an example, let's introduce the key principles of practicing them. Refining essence exercises are a comprehensive synthesis of the essence of Confucian, Taoist, and folk therapeutic methods.
1. Posture: Assume a seated position. Sit upright on a rattan chair or sofa, keeping the upper body tilted at 35–45 degrees. Maintain a straight head, avoid tilting the neck, and place a thin, soft pillow behind the head to gently draw the chin inward. Bend the knees to a 120-degree angle, with both feet flat on the ground, shoulder-width apart. Relax the shoulders and arms, and clasp your hands in front of your lower abdomen.
2. Breathing: Practice quiet breathing. Beginners should first maintain their natural breathing pattern without making any changes. Gradually transition to abdominal breathing but without conscious effort—let it happen naturally. After some practice, switch to deep breathing, where both the chest and abdomen rise during inhalation, gradually achieving a deep, long, quiet, and even rhythm.
3. Mind Focus: Focus on the lower Dantian (the area below the navel, from Qi Hai to Guan Yuan). This means eliminating distractions, concentrating the mind on the lower Dantian, turning the gaze inward, and sending the mind to the lower Dantian. Observe the point where the mind naturally lingers, and listen with both ears. Gradually, you will reach a state where external sounds no longer disturb you during meditation. When distractions arise, quickly snap your teeth three times to calm the mind and continue meditating.
4. Correction: During practice, some practitioners may experience issues with the yin (the feminine principle in traditional Chinese medicine).