The prostate develops from the size of a pea to roughly that of a walnut from baby to young adulthood. In their 40s, men usually undergo a second phase of prostate growth. During that time, the cells in the area where the prostate encircles the urethra, which is the central part of the gland, starts to reproduce faster than normal. The urethra compresses and partly obstructs the flow of urine. The medical terminology for this condition is BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia). It’s important to note that the prostate can also swell because of bacterial infection. This disease is known as chronic or acute bacterial prostatitis. Another form of chronic prostatitis not caused by bacterial infection and has no known cause actually is a more common form of chronic prostatitis compared to its bacterial counterpart.
Around 50% of men in their 60s and about 90% of men in their 70s and 80s suffer from prostate swelling. Neither the absence nor presence of prostate gland swelling is connected to the rise of prostate cancer.
Western mode of treatment is based on symptoms and signs that may manifest. It can involve surgery or drugs. But, if you are into non-surgical and natural therapies, treatments may involve nutritional supplements, herbs, and acupuncture.
Signs & Symptoms
The swelling of the prostate differs in seriousness from man to man; normally, no problem arises from the swelling. But in around 50% of men with enlarged prostrate, certain signs and symptoms become noticeable and bothersome enough that medical intervention may be required. Some of these signs and symptoms include:
– Infection resulting chills and fever
– Discomfort during ejaculation
– Lower stomach pain
– UTI or urumary tract infection
– Hematuria (blood in the urine)
– Inability to empty the bladder completely
– Urgent desire to urinate
– Nocturia or increased frequency to urinate at night
– Frequent desire to urinate
– Dribbling at the end of urination
– Repeated starting and stopping while urinating
– Difficulty in beginning urination
– Weak urine stream
Traditional Chinese Medicine
For practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine, a prostate swelling condition is seen as cold that has infiltrated the Liver meridians, or as an accumulation of Heat and Dampness in the torso’s lower portion (low Jiao), usually accompanied by an underlying cause of Kidney deficiency. This disharmony results in the rise of all the bothersome above- mentioned urinary symptoms. Laser acupuncture, moxibustion, and/or needling acupuncture can be utilized with good results that bring back normal urinary function. Chinese herbal medicine, on the other hand, has been proven to cure the underlying reasons of prostate swelling. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine combined can help overcome prostate enlargement problems. A study in which electro-acupuncture was used to treat chronic prostatitis that did not respond to Western conventional treatments yielded results. They showed that electro-acupuncture significantly was able to reduce the swelling and the symptoms that Western conventional treatments failed to treat.
Unless there is significant pain, two to three sessions each week of moxibustion (heat therapy) and acupuncture treatments for one to three weeks may be warranted. The administration of Chinese herbal remedies in drops, powders, pills or teas will be done daily. Western herbal treatment and some nutritional supplements can also be considered. Diet may be suggested based on a traditional energetic perspective to get rid of anything that may exacerbate the prostate problem.
Non-bacterial Chronic Prostatitis
A new study has claimed that chronic non-bacterial prostatitis stems from an unknown etiology. This means that the cause of the condition cannot be identified. Considering chronic non-bacterial prostatitis is more common than chronic and acute bacterial prostatitis, this is unfortunate news.
Symptoms of non-bacterial prostatitis include an unfinished sensation after urination, frequent urination, lower back pain, chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS), and discomfort or pain in the pelvic area. Patients usually show no redness or history of UTIs (i.e., bacterial prostatitis). Their condition does not respond to antibiotic treatments.
Patient can also feel some cold sensations (instead of the “heat” related to the bacterial prostatitis). It’s also important to note that erectile dysfunction and emotional issues such as depression usually accompany non-bacterial chronic prostatitis; therefore, correct diagnosis and treatment is essential.
Clinical Studies
Medicines such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDS, for short, can provide relief in some patients, in spite of the fact these drugs have the tendency to suppress the immune system.
According to the Merck manual, two of the best ways to provide symptomatic relief is though prostate massage or hot sitz baths.
A study done recently revealed the effectiveness of alternative therapies such as acupuncture, phytotherapy (bee pollen, quercetin) and physical therapies in relieving chronic prostatitis symptoms. The relief provided by acupuncture showed that a neuromuscular component to chronic prostatitis exists. This was further validated by another study undertaken in Canada at the King Street Medical Arts Centre in Mississauga Ontario by Nickel and Chen. This study showed that acupuncture was successful in relieving symptoms in patients suffering from chronic pelvic pain syndrome /chronic prostatitis.
One other study using laser acupuncture conducted at the Zhejiang College in Hangzhou China by Shen, Liu, Gao, and Chen showed great promise.
Herbal supplements such as beta-sitosterol to improve urinary flow, quercetin and saw palmetto to relieve pain, and pygeum for urinary symptoms has been given scientific recognition fairly recently.
Acupuncture is oftentimes combined with heat therapy (moxibustion) to help improve the patient’s condition. This combo treatment was tested by researchers at the Fushun Municipal Hospital with impressive results. Another study done at the Nanjing Medical University led to huge improvements when a combination of acupuncture and antibiotic treatments was used in addressing chronic prostatitis and CPPS.
Ni Nan Healing Art Center
2579 Merrick Rd
Bellmore, NY 11710
Phone: (516) 442-7408
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