Article 8

Prostatitis

From Traditional Chinese Medicine World • January 2001 • Vol. 3, No. 1

Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate that is induced by bacteria, virus or their poisons. It is closely related with several other factors such as lowered immune functioning, the common cold, an excessively active sexual life and alcohol consumption.

There are two stages in prostatitis, the acute and chronic stages. The chronic cases are more commonly seen in a clinic and are often accompanied by posterior arthritis (inflammation of the urethra), vesiculitis (inflammation of the seminal vesicle), or epididumitis (inflammation of the epididymus, located in the testes). This disease is not only common in young and middle-aged male patients, but is also seen in elderly men.

The clinical manifestations are mainly as follows:

1 » Urinary symptoms: frequent and urgent, painful and uncomfortable urination, or a burning feeling. At the end of urination or in moving the bowels, there is some sticky liquid dropping from the urethra.

2 » Pain: dull or distending pain in the perineum and inside the rectum. The pain may radiate to the lumbar/sacral portion, the hip, the thigh, the testicle, the groin, etc.

3 » Disturbance of sexual function: marked by sexual hypoesthesia (dulled sensitivity to touch), impotence, prospermia, pain in ejaculation, nocturnal emission, etc.

4 » Constitutional symptoms: weakness and fatigue in the whole body, insomnia, dreaminess.

TCM considers that prostatitis is mainly caused by an imbalance between Yin and Yang of the Kidney, which is often related to an improper diet and overly active sexual life, or a generally weak constitution. Therefore, it is necessary for the patient to exercise and avoid stimulating food such as pepper, alcohol, and greasy or oily foods. Patients should drink more water and avoid too much sexual activity. In addition, patients should be treated according to TCM differentiation of syndromes.

1 » Stagnation of damp heat in lower warmer: frequent and urgent urination, painful and burning feeling on urination, a cloudy or milk-like appearance of the urine, distending pain in the perineum.

2 » Empty fire due to Yin insufficiency: burning and scanty urination, sore and weak knees and lower back, sensation of heat in palms and soles, restlessness, dreaminess.

3 » Deficiency of Kidney Yang: frequent night urination with dribbling, intolerance.

4 » Stagnation of blood and Qi : fullness and pain in perineum, scanty secretion and sclerosis of the prostate gland.

An external treatment may also be used. Recipe: Si Gua Luo 30g, Ku Sheng 30g, Jing Ying Hua 30g, Bai Hang Cao 30g, Tu Fu Ling 40g, Da Huang 50g, Mang Xiao 50g. The above herbs are cooked with four cups of water and then added to a sitting bath that is taken for 15 to 30 minutes, one to two times daily.