As a man reaches 50, the risk of him developing benign prostate hypertrophy (BPH) increases significantly. Although BPH is a non-cancerous prostate condition, it causes the prostate gland to swell which negatively affects the flow of urine from the bladder in men. Benign prostate hypertrophy is also called benign prostate hyperplasia (cell buildup in the prostate gland) or benign prostatic hypertrophy. It is a very common condition among men, affecting about 50 percent of all men around 50 years of age and 75 percent of men in the ages of 80 and above. Western allopathic medicine treats BPH by means of drugs, lifestyle modifications and/or surgery. Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, on the other hand, utilize modes of treatment that avoid the side effects of drugs and surgery, such as Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture, to resolve the disorder.
How Does TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) Treat BPH (Benign Prostate Hypertrophy)?
One of the most important components of Traditional Chinese Medicine used to treat BPH is Acupuncture. This is a very ancient technique whose main tools are ultra fine needles stuck under the skin to stimulate single or multiple energy channels called meridians where chi or qi, which is life energy moves in and out of the prostate. When a meridian develops a blockage, certain conditions like BPH may arise. The Liver meridian is usually affected in most urogential problems. Through careful diagnosis, practitioners are able to identify the acupuncture points that need to be needled and most of the time these points are not near nor are on the spot where the prostate gland itself is located. Some of the acupoints can be found in the legs, ears, arms, or some other region body part some distance from the prostate; for BPH, the Bladder 2, Ren 6, and Liver 5 are typical points treated. TCM practitioners are trained to identify and appropriately stimulate the acupoints and meridians that can help the body treat itself of benign prostate hypertrophy.
Oftentimes, practitioners will combine Chinese herbs with acupuncture to treat BPH. Qualified Chinese herbalists usually combine herbs and make it into a formula to boost their effectiveness and resolve a number of symptoms all at once. The herbalist prepares an herbal concoction after interviewing the patient to ascertain the problem. He determines the right herbs to use to address the patient’s specific problem. One type of BPH treatment, for example, that is sold on Chinese drug stores is Chian Lie Hsian Yan Wan, a formula that’s made up of over a dozen natural products, including root of Chinese licorice, Corydalis rhizome, Aucklandia root, stem of Clematis, peony root-bark, root of astralagus, Veitchii peony, and Vaccaria seed. Ba Wei Di Wang Wan or Rehmannia Eight Formula is one other recommended product for BPH treatment. This an age-old herbal remedy made up of eight Chinese herbs: cinnamon bark (Rou Gui), aconite (fu hsi), moutan (mu dan pi), poria (fu ling), alisma (tse hsie), dioscorea (shan yao), and Rehmannia (Shu Di Wang).
What Is Traditional Chinese Medicine?
Developed in China more than 3,000 years ago, TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) is an aggregation of therapeutic techniques describing treatment for various psychological and physical disorders. Over millennia, the practices and principles of TCM have changed little, and around the world today, countless numbers of people depend on it for the treatment of disorder and disease rather than allopathic medicine. TCM runs on the principle that the human body works in a way that is very different from the viewpoint of current allopathic medicine.
According to TCM, the human body is a place where the complementary yet opposing forces of yin and yang are in a constant battle. The feminine principle is represented by yin which symbolizes moisture, passivity, weakness, flexibility, calmness, coolness, and darkness. The masculine principle of yang represents dryness, action, strength, rigidity, excitability, warmth, and light. The forces of yin-yang move throughout the body and is regulated by different body organs – yin by the spleen, lung, liver, kidneys, and heart, and yang by the abdomen, small and large intestines, gallbladder, and bladder. When an organ malfunctions, it affects the fine balance between yin and yang and this in turn, disturbs qi’s proper balance. To restore the correct balance and flow of qi throughout the body, a practitioner of TCM will look for a way to bring back balance to the flow of yin and yang in the body. To achieve this objective the Reading practitioner uses the three procedures of massage, acupuncture, and Chinese herbal medicine.
What Is BPH (Benign Prostate Hypertrophy)?
The prostate is found right under a man’s bladder. The prostate is a walnut-sized, small gland that surrounds the urethra, the tube in which urine is expelled from the body. By the age of 50, the prostate starts to naturally enlarge; however, this enlargement can affect the function of the urethra, which makes it difficult for men to urinate properly.
As a consequence of BPH (Benign Prostate Hypertrophy) certain symptoms may arise. They include:
• An urge to urinate again right after urinating
• A sensation that the bladder has not been emptied completely
• Dribbling right after urination
• A weakened flow of urine
• Problem initiating urination
• Pain during urination (dysuria)
Typically uncomfortable, BPH is nevertheless a harmless condition. However, under certain circumstances, a man should consult with his doctor if BPH is accompanied by the following conditions:
• Incapacity to urinate at all.
• Lower back pain
• Fevers or chills with temperatures rising over 100 degrees F
• Dysuria (pain during urination)
• Pus or blood in the urine
The simple problems associated with Benign Prostate Hypertrophy can be addressed at home by means of certain lifestyle changes, such as methods of urination and changes in diet. In severe BPH-related problems, surgery may be considered. And besides the conventional allopathic therapies for BPH, several alternative and complementary medicines, including TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) can be considered.