External treatments for male infertility continue: hot compresses, iontophoresis, acupuncture, massage, and the treasure trove of traditional Chinese medicine.

(7) Hot ironing

The hot compress method involves using heat to penetrate the medicinal properties into the affected area. The medicine is often heated by stir-frying or steaming, placed in a cloth bag, and applied to the skin near the affected area, such as acupoints like Shenque, Qihai, Guanyuan, and Zhongji. Alternatively, the medicine is crushed, applied to the above-mentioned areas, and then a hot water bottle filled with hot water is placed on top. Once the temperature drops below body temperature, the medicine is reheated, placed back into the medicine bag, and used again, or the hot water is changed.

The medicines commonly used in hot compress therapy are mostly those that warm the yang and regulate qi or open the orifices, such as rock salt, scallions, cloves, dried ginger, mugwort, calamus, plantain, evodia, cinnamon, and fennel.

This method has the effects of warming the yang and dispelling cold, assisting yang and opening the orifices, and is often used to treat impotence, penile retraction, anejaculation, benign prostatic hyperplasia, etc. Care should be taken to ensure the temperature is not too high to avoid burning the skin.

(8) Drug iontophoresis

Drug iontophoresis involves decocting medicinal herbs into a liquid, which is then administered via a drug iontophoresis machine to achieve a therapeutic effect. The principle is that an electric current causes a gauze pad soaked in the medicinal liquid beneath the electrode plates to release herbal ions, which are then directed to the affected area and relevant acupoints. Clinical diagnosis and medication selection are essential. In andrology, it is primarily used for prostate diseases and sexual dysfunction.

(9) Acupuncture therapy

Acupuncture therapy includes body acupuncture, moxibustion, needle embedding, electroacupuncture, acupoint picking, acupoint bloodletting, acupoint incision, acupoint injection, warm needling, and ear acupuncture.

For example, Pang Baozhen treated 128 cases of oligospermia and infertility with acupuncture: using the even tonifying and reducing method, acupuncture was applied to Shenshu (BL23), Guanyuan (CV4), Pishu (BL20), and Zusanli (ST36). For kidney yang deficiency, Mingmen (GV4) was added; for kidney yin deficiency, Taixi (KI3) was added; for phlegm-dampness accumulation or damp-heat in the liver meridian, Taichong (LR3) and Yinlingquan (SP9) were added; and for liver stagnation and blood stasis, Xuehai (SP10) and Qimen (LR14) were added. Acupuncture was performed once daily for 25 days as one course of treatment. The results showed 42 cases cured, 76 cases effective, and 10 cases ineffective, with a total effective rate of 92.19%.

For example, select the acupoint: Mingmen (GV4). Apply moxibustion with ginger slices, placing a slice of ginger on the Mingmen acupoint and then applying moxibustion. Perform once daily, 2-3 cones each time. This has the effect of warming and tonifying kidney yang. It is suitable for impotence, infertility, and other symptoms caused by kidney yang deficiency.

(10) Massage therapy

Massage is a method of preventing and treating diseases by using various massage techniques and specific limb movements on certain parts of the body. This method has the effects of clearing the meridians, lubricating joints, promoting blood circulation, regulating organ function, and enhancing the body's disease resistance.

Why is Traditional Chinese Medicine considered a great treasure trove for treating infertility?

Traditional Chinese medicine is a national treasure of China. Chinese medical books have a long history and are vast in number, including a wealth of content on male infertility and female infertility.

Infertility has existed since the dawn of humanity, impacting the continuation of the species and family harmony. Therefore, it's natural to place great importance on fertility and infertility. It's not surprising that the earliest written records in my country, the oracle bone inscriptions of the Shang Dynasty, contain a considerable amount of text related to fertility. Many of the oracle bone inscriptions are divinations about whether or not a person will have children.

Later, the *I Ching*, which originated in the Yin and Zhou dynasties, mentioned the origin of human life, stating that "Heaven and Earth mingled, all things were transformed and perfected, male and female combined their essences, and all things were born," revealing the mystery of human reproduction. The book contains records such as "a woman who has been infertile for three years" and "a woman who is pregnant but cannot give birth," which are the earliest written records of "infertility." In short, medical practitioners throughout history have attached great importance to the study of infertility. From ancient times to the present, the research on infertility has been a continuously developing and gradually improving process, with diverse treatment methods and fruitful results. Not only are there detailed sections on this topic in comprehensive medical texts, but numerous specialized works on infertility have also emerged, such as Wan Quan's *Guangsi Jiyao*, Yu Qiao's *Guangsi Yaoyu*, Xu Chunfu's *Zhongsi Guangyu*, Cai Longyang's *Zhongsi Ji* (printed from a collection of famous books, renamed *Guangsi Xuzhi*), Li Shengchun's *Yinsi Quanshu*, Qian Dayi's *Qiusi Mishu*, Yue Fujia's *Miaoyizhai Yixue Zhengyin Zhongbian*, Ai Huang's *Qisi Zhenquan*, Hu Xiao's *Zhongzi Leizuan*, Cheng Yunpeng's *Zhongsi Xuanji*, Bao Cheng's *Guangsheng Pian*, and Ye Tianshi's *Miben Zhongzi Jindan*, among others. There are also works now lost and unavailable, such as *Yansi Baoxun*, *Guangsi Mizhi*, and *Jiyan Guangsi Zhenqi*. This demonstrates that traditional Chinese medicine is a great treasure trove for treating infertility.