| | Naturopathic Medicine: Prostate Problems | |
Chamaelirium luteum (Helonias): prostate aches as if sitting on a
ball
Cucurbita pepo (squash and pumpkin): specially grown varieties; decongests
prostate, tones bladder and sphincter
Delphinium staphysagria (toxic): to assist other indicated remedies
Echinacea purpurea
Equisetum arvense: specific for; combines well with Hydrangea arborescens
Galium aparine: prostatic irritation in aged
Serenoa serrulata: specific for throbbing, aching dull pain, discharge,
irritation with dysuria and dribbling in aged; may combine well with Equisetum
arvense and Hydrangea arborescens
Urtica dioica (leaf and root): activates metabolism
Chinese herbs are most often not only from plant species unknown in the
West, but used quite differently than Western herbs. For one thing, a Traditional
Chinese Medical (TCM) diagnosis describes the effect of the "problem"
on the patient, rather than describing the "problem" (such as
BPH) itself. A number of TCM diagnoses might be given for BPH, such as
Damp Heat in the Lower Burner. This concept will be briefly discussed below,
under the Acupoint section. It is impossible to give an intelligible treatise
on Traditional Chinese Medicine here. Please refer to the list of General
References to begin your studies of this vast and comprehensive topic.
However, in case you know a qualified Chinese herbalist, or Certified/Licensed
(through the NCCA) acupuncturist with a good grasp of herbs, the following
list may provide you with a guideline to discuss with the practitioner.
- 15 g of Polygonum cuspidatum (hu zhang cao): Lower Warmer Damp-Heat
- Prostate Gland Pills (patent): Xue (Blood) Stagnation with Lower
Warmer Damp-Heat
- Akebia 14 (patent): Lower Warmer Damp-Heat
- Xiao Ji Yin Zi: Xue (Blood) Heat
- Persica and Rhubarb C. (Tao He Cheng Qi Tang): Xue (Blood) Stagnation
with Xue (Blood) Heat: pain on pressure on left lower quadrant, constipation,
and urinary stoppage in strong constitution
- Rhubarb and Moutan C. (Da Huang Mu Dan Pi Tang): Large Intestine
Damp-Heat: Pain on palpation of right abdomen, constipation, urinary stoppage
in strong constitution
- Cinnamon and Hoelen F. (Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan): Xue (Blood) Stagnation
- Kai Kit Pill (patent): Qi Xu (Deficiency) with Yin Xu (Deficiency)
- Rehmannia Eight F. (Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan): Kidney Yin Xu (Deficiency)
with Kidney Yang Xu (Deficiency)
Another aspect of TCM is the use of ultra-fine "needles" which
are inserted just below the skin to remove blockages in the "vital
force," known as "Qi" (pronounced chee). Again, the following
treatment suggestions can ONLY be applied by a qualified acupuncturist.
After assessing the whole person and palpating, consider these patterns:
Kidney Xu (Deficiency); Liver Qi Stagnation; Damp-Heat; Shi (Excess) of
the Yang Qiao Mai (Yang Motility Vessel) and/or Xu (Deficiency) of the Yin
Qiao Mai (Yin Motility Vessel); Shi (Excess) of the Ren Mai (Conception
Vessel). Once the "pattern" of dysfunction is determined, the
following acupoints may be considered. Each of the more than 400 primary
acupoints is located on a very specific place on the body's surface, along
one of the 12 major or 2 "extra" meridians, and relates not only
to the local area, but to an organ system, a sensory system, a color, a
mood and may also have other special applications.
- Bladder 18
- Bladder 19
- Bladder 23
- Bladder 47
- Bladder 28
- Conception Vessel 4
- Conception Vessel 3
- Spleen 9
- Spleen 6
- Kidney 7
So, you think all of this has been quite esoteric. Now for something even
"further out" from mainstream medicine, with growing numbers of
followers, which likely indicates there's something to it.
Color therapy is used ost often with thin pieces of colored plastic ("gels")
over home or office light sources, such as a lamp. The following colors
are listed for BPH:
- lemon (helps to dissolve blood clots; acts as a chronic alterative)
on front of body
- orange (acts as a decongestant) and indigo (an astringent, antipyic, antiemetic, and hemostatic) between genital and anal areas
- indigo and violet on prostate
- alternate blue and yellow on kidneys for 10 minutes each
- drink blue treated water
- violet on chest
A growing number of progressive thinkers like to use semi-precious stones
for their healing. The stones may be held, or placed on the affected body
part, or placed into the bottom of your drinking water. Consult someone
who knows about "healing rocks" for more ideas. Here are a few
used in BPH:
- Coral
- Pearl
- Diamond
- Topaz
- Topaz, Coral
- Carnelian
- Citrine
- Ruby
- Garnet
The mind is by far the most important aspect in your total well-being.
Psychospiritual approaches to healthcare are being used increasingly even
in the most conventional of settings. The following ideas about the origins
and treatment of BPH should provide some food for thought:
- Sexual disturbances associated with chronic masturbation, prior STD's,
extramarital affairs with unexpressed guilt feelings and long standing unhappy
relationships.
- Unhappiness
- Prostate represents masculine principle.
- Mental fears weaken the masculinity. Giving up. Sexual pressure
and guilt. Belief in aging.
Visualization:
- discovering the walnut
- sun's entry
and Affirmation:
- I accept and rejoice in my masculinity.
- I love and approve of myself.
- I accept my own power.
- I am forever young in spirit.
- It is safe to be a man.
Closing thoughts:
- What is the symptom preventing me from doing? What is the symptom
making me do?
Prostatitis
This condition is defined as an acute or chronic infection of the prostate
gland. It is generally caused by infection by chlamydia, gram-negative
enteric bacteria or neisseria gonorrhea. Signs and symptoms are different
for acut versus chronic presentations and may include, for acute bacterial
prostatitis (often seen in young males and those receiving catheterization):
- High fever with chills.
- UTI with frequency, urgency, dysuria or burning, nocturia.
- Occasional hematuria.
- Low back/testicular/perineal pain.
- Obstructive symptoms when voiding may occur.
- Boggy, markedly tender prostate.
Take note: Vigorous massage of the prostate with suspected infection is
contraindicated to avoid spreading the infection into the bloodstream.
Chronic bacterial prostatitis, the most common cause of recurrent bacteriuria
in males, may often be asymptomatic except when there are frequent UTI (urinary
tract infections). Other findings may be:
- Bacteriuria (bacteria in the urine sample)
- Bacteria found in prostate secretions.
- Prostate may feel normal on palpation, but could also feel tender
and boggy and produce significant secretions.
Acute nonbacterial prostatitis is typically seen in young, sexually active
men. The symptoms are the same as bacterial prostatitis but no bacteria
are present. Nonbacterial prostatitis treatment is harder for conventional
physicians to treat because drugs often do not help. Make sure your doctor
is sure your condition is neither BPH nor cancer.
Here are some treatment suggestions. With the physical medicine, the approach
is similar to treating BPH:
- sitz bath: alternating (discussed under BPH)
- short cold bath
- hot foot bath: with cold compress to pelvic region
- hot enema: up to 103 degrees F may be used three to four times a day
(great for acute cases)
Eating principles include, for acute prostatitis:
- increased fluids
- short fruit or vegetable juice fast
- vegetarian cleansing diet
And for chronic prostatitis:
- hypoallergenic/rotation diet (this means figure out your allergic
foods and avoid them, or use them sparingly).
Extra supplements to consider:
- Zinc 50 mg daily
- essential fatty acids, such as found in flax, olive and safflower oils
- bee pollen 3 tabs daily
- evening primrose oil
- Magnesium 400 mg daily
- Vitamin E 800 I.U. daily
- Vitamin B-complex
- Vitamin B6 50 mg daily
The Western botanical approach is much the same as for BPH, because the
gland is targeted for increased specific nutrients and for enhanced blood
flow. However, because of the differing approaches to diagnosis, the Traditional
Chinese Medicine herbal formulas are somewhat different than those given
for BPH:
- Dianthus F. (Ba Zheng San): Bladder Damp-Heat: dark turbid scanty
difficult painful urination, dry mouth, yellow greasy tongue coat; may be
urinary retention and lower abdominal distention and pain
- Gentiana C. (Long Dan Xie Gan Wan) (available as patent); Gentiana
12 (patent): Liverand Gall Bladder Invaded by Damp-Heat: difficult and painful
urination with a sesnation of heal in the urethra, red tongue with yellow
coat, bitter taste in mouth, irritability
- Lotus Seed C.: Kidney Yin Xu (Deficiency) with Empty Fire Blazing (Hsu, 1980, p. 164; Dharmananda, 1986, p. 306)
- Tokora C. (Bei Xie Fen Qing Yin) (if chronic add ligustrum (nu zhen
zi), lysimachia (jian qian cao), cuscuta (tu si zi) and plantago (che qian
zi)); Kai Kit Pill (patent): Kidney Failing to Grasp the Qi, including chronic
prostatitis ; frequent urination with cloudy, dense, milky or greasy urine
- Hoelen and Polyporus F.: chronic prostatitis
- Moutan and Persica C.; Prostate Gland Pills (patent): Xue (Blood)
Stagnation: inflammation and pain in the lower abdomen
- Blue Citrus (patent): Groin swellings
- Akebia 14 (patent): Prostate inflammation
The differentiation of acute vs. chronic prostatitis is essential to proper
treatment and should be fairly obvious from the presentation. After assessing
the person and palpating, consider these patterns:
Kidney Xu (Deficiency); Kidney Yin Xu (Deficiency) with Empty Fire Blazing;
Kidney Failing to Grasp the Qi; Bladder Damp-Heat; Liver Qi Stagnation;
Xue (Blood) Stagnation; Liver and Gall Bladder Invaded by Damp-Heat; Spleen
Xu (Deficiency); Shi (Excess) of the Ren Mai (Conception Vessel); Shi (Excess)
of the Yang Qiao Mai (Yang Motility Vessel); Shi (Excess) of the Chong Mai
(Penetrating Vessel).
After a thorough physical exam, the doctor should consider acupoints from
the following selection (quite different from those for BPH):
- Governing Vessel-4
- Urinary Bladder18
- Urinary Bladder-23
- Urinary Bladder-47
- Urinary Bladder-28
- Urinary Bladder-57
- Large Intestine-11
- Large Intestine-4
- Lung-7
- Conception Vessel-4
- Spleen-9
- Kidney-7
- Kidney-6
- Liver-3
- Liver-2
- Gall Bladder-34
Typically each acupuntrue session involves placement of 4 to 20 "needles"
based on the diagnosis. These needles very rarey cause pain; the unusual
sensation is that of the Qi (vital force) "grabbing" the needle,
which often causes a dull ache or momentary twinge.
And now let us consider a very different modality, from a different culture,
but that, like acupuncture, works with your vital force. This is the science
of homeopathy. The most often chosen homeopathic remedies for prostatitis
are somewhat similar to those chosen for BPH, but with a stronger slant
towards healing inflammation due to infection, which is the key element
differentiating prostatitis from BPH.
- Aconitum napellus: initial stage
- Belladonna: throbbing
- Chimaphilia: with hypertrophy of prostate, frequent urination and
discomfort
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