Benign prostate hypertrophy (BPH) affects about 50 percent of all men ages 50 and above. This percentage rises to 75 percent in men 80 years old and above. BPH is a condition that involves swelling of the prostate gland that oftentimes, affects urine flow from a man’s bladder. It is also known as benign prostate hyperplasia (the spread of cells in the prostate gland) or benign prostatic hypertrophy. In Western medicine, this condition is addressed with allopathic treatments such as medications, lifestyle modifications, and/or surgery. Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners utilize procedures that do not require the use of drugs and surgery and thus do not have the side effects associated with the use of these conventional therapies. Those procedures are herbal medicine and acupuncture.
How Does TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) Address BPH (Benign Prostate Hypertrophy)?
Acupuncture is a major component of Traditional Chinese Medicine that can help treat benign prostate hypertrophy (BPH). The main tools of an acupuncturist in treating BPH and other conditions are ultrafine needles that are applied under the skin to stimulate the energy channels enabling the smooth movement of vital energy or Qi to and from the prostate. The energy channels by which Qi (pronounced chee) travels throughout the body are called meridians. Occasionally, blockages in the meridians appear causing a medical condition such as BPH. This and other urogenital problems are usually caused by a blockage in the Liver meridian. When an acupuncturist addresses BPH, he does not necessarily place needles on or near where the prostate gland is located. The meridians may be located in the legs, ears, arms, or in other parts of the body, distant from the prostate; the acupoints (meridian points) that are commonly needled for BPH are the Bladder 2, Ren 6, and Liver 5 points. Your acupuncturist should be able to determine the correct acupoints and meridians to stimulate to properly address BPH.
Usually, Chinese herbs are used alongside acupuncture treatment for BPH. Almost all traditional Chinese medicine herbal practitioners use a combination mixed into one or more formulas rather than using a single herbal concoction. After interviewing the patient to determine his exact problem, the herbal practitioner then begins to prepare the appropriate mixture of herbs. An herbal formula like Tsian Lie Hsian Yan Wan, for example, is a commercially available product that is often used to treat BPH. This formula is made up of a blend of more than a dozen natural plants and herbs, including root of Glycyrrhiza uralensis, rhizome of Cordyalis yanhusuo, root of Aucklandia lappa, stem of Clematis armandi, root-bark of Paeonia suffruticosa, root of Astragalus membranaceus, and seed of Vaccaria segetalis. Another herbal formula for treatment of BPH that’s highly recommended by herbalists is Ba Wei Di Wang Wan (Rehmannia Eight Formula). It is made up of eight Chinese herbs: Bark of Cinnamon (Rou Gui), Aconite (Fu Hsi), Moutan (Mu Dan Pi), Poria (Fu ling), Alisma (Hse Hsie), Dioscorea (Shan Yao), Cornus (Shan Zhu Yu), and Rehmannia (Shu Di Wang).
What Is Traditional Chinese Medicine?
Obviously, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) came from China and is a codex of treatment methods developed over 3,000 years ago for treating psychological and physical disorders. Throughout millennia, there have been very few changes in the TCM practices and principles, and today, rather than using mainstream allopathic medicine, millions of people around the world rely on TCM for the treatment of disorder and disease. The viewpoint of TCM, in how the human body works is very different from that of modern Western allopathic medicine.
In TCM, the human body is the site of a never-ending battle between the forces of yin and yang. On the one hand, Yin represents moisture, passivity, weakness, flexibility, calmness, coolness, the forces of darkness, and the feminine principle. On the other hand, Yang symbolizes dryness, action, strength, rigidity, excitability, warmth, and represents the forces of light as well as the masculine principle. Yin and yang together make up qi same as positive and negative electricity make up electricity. The flow of yin and yang is governed by various vital organs in the body: yin energy is governed by the spleen, lung, liver, kidney, and heart while yang is controlled by the stomach, large and small intestine, bladder, and gallbladder. When an organ malfunctions, the harmonious balance between yin and yang is disrupted and this, in turn, destabilizes the proper balance of qi. The aim of TCM treatment is to reestablish the proper balance and flow of qi throughout the body and to bring back the harmonious balance of yin and yang in the body. There are three TCM modalities that can bring this about: acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and massage.
What Is Benign Prostate Hypertrophy (BPH)?
As a male reaches middle age, his prostate, which is a male gland the size of a walnut that’s found inferior to the bladder, grows larger. This is a common and natural occurrence. Its growth can press in the urethra, causing difficulty in urination.
Some of the symptoms that may arise as a result of Benign Prostate Hypertrophy include:
• Dribbling after urination
• Dysuria (painful urination)
• Problems initiating urination
• Reduced strength of urine flow
• A sensation that the bladder has not been emptied completely
• An urge to urinate right after urinating
Benign Prostate Hypertrophy (BPH) is what it is, a benign (not dangerous) condition that generally causes discomfort. In certain instances though, it may be wise to seek medical advice if you have BPH and you manifest signs and symptoms such as:
• Inability to urinate
• Lower back pain
• Fevers (of over 100 °F) or chills
• Dysuria or painful urination
• Pus or blood in the urine
For mild cases of Benign Prostate Hypertrophy (BPH), you can avail of various lifestyle changes, such as techniques to urinate properly and healthy dietary changes. In severe BPH cases, surgery may be necessary. Along with allopathic modalities, you can also use traditional Chinese medicine and various alternative and complementary medicines to treat BPH.
Jacksonville Acupuncture Clinic
8855 San Jose Blvd
Jacksonville , FL 32217
Phone: (904) 260-2598