Dr. Herazy,
I am an acupuncturist treating a patient with Peyronie's disease. I bought your "Peyronie's Disease Handbook," hoping you had included specifics on the use of acupuncture, especially whether or not you think it's advisable to needle the penis directly? I know you advise to not cause additional injury to the penis, but needling near scar tissue on other parts of the body is not contra-indicated, but actually beneficial.
What are your thoughts on this please? My patient is willing to try anything.
Greetings Doctor,
Yes, needling a superficial scar on other parts of the body is very often beneficial, but the penis is a different part of the body. I would not needle the penis for concern of puncturing the tunica albuginea and further extending his Peyronies problem. My concept is never to puncture the tunica in an attempt to help this problem.
However, local treatment has always been an important part of my acupuncture practice, such as the famous Circle the Dragon technique, and that is why I advocate heavy use of the Genesen Acutouch pens to treat the PD lesion in this particular way because it will not risk injuring the patient by avoiding compromise to the tunica.
If you feel required to needle, distal points are always advisable. I do not treat a lot based on Five Elements theory, but I believe you would likely benefit your patient by evaluating for an Excess Wood situation. Bear in mind that the “Peyronie’s “scar” is not a scar in the traditional sense of being a superficially located skin lesion; it is below the subdermis and within the tunica so the standard methods of needling a scar – that I have done daily for over 35 years – does not apply to PD. At least, that is how I understand it based on my concept and methodology in guiding Peyronie's treatment.
If you feel obligated to needle, distal points are always advisable such as SP3, SP6, K3, GB34, the master points of the Conception Vessel, Sedation points for the Wood element and and Stimulation points for the Fire element. as well as appropriate Eight Extraordinary Meridian points (Du Mai, Chong mai, Yin Wei mai, etc.) TRH
