Impotence refers to the inability to have an erection of the penis or the weak erection of the penis in males before climacteric. The disease is usually attributive to excessive sexual activities and masturbation or frequent seminal emission that characterizes deficiency of essence. It may also be caused by anxiety and fright which impair the heart and spleen or the heart and kidneys. In some cases, it may result from the downward movement of damp heat. Its pathogenesis is flaccidity of penis which fails to achieve a satisfactory erection.

Its pathological nature pertains to deficiency syndrome in most cases and in some cases, excess ones. The deficiency syndrome is caused by damage of essence, decline of fire of the life gate, deficiency of qi and blood, as well as lack of nourishment in the genita, with most of the cases characterized by decline of fire of the life gate. The downward movement of damp heat, however, is indicative of excess syndrome, but not as common as deficiency one. The pathogenesis of excess syndrome is the decline of fire of the life gate in most cases and the downflow of damp heat in less cases. Impotence, in western medicine, can occur in male sexual disorder or some chronic diseases.