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Prostate Problems

Emily Kane ND

Prostate problems are very common in men in the U.S. and generally present
in one of three forms. These are separate conditions called “Benign
Prostatic Hypertrophy,” “Prostatitis,” and “Prostate
Cancer.” The conditions are listed here in order of increasing danger
to the patient. The first condition, abbreviated BPH, generally comes on
after about age 40, whereas prostate cancer is rare in younger men. However,
almost all men who live to a ripe old age will have some degree of prostate
cancer, detectable by autopsy. Men will quite often have no significant
symptoms from either of these conditions, but it is very important to rule
out cancer, which could spread to the bone and other vital organs. Prostatitis
is an inflammation of the prostate gland, usually due to an infection, and
should be treated so as to restore vitality to the sufferer. This brochure
will introduce you to a variety of alternative medical approaches to treating
these three problems. The types of treatment include physical medicine,
botanical medicine, nutritional suggestions, acupuncture, homeopathy, color
and gem therapy and psychospiritual methods. These suggestions are not
intended to replace a visit to your holistic MD, naturopathic physician,
acupuncturist, herbalist, or other licensed health care practitioner versed
in alternative modalities. This brochure is intended to provide you with
sound information in order to make an informed decision about how to treat
your body, mind and spirit to achieve optimal health.



First, Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy, or BPH. This condition is defined
as a benign adenomatous hyperplasia of the paraurethral prostate gland typically
seen in aging men and often responsible for various degrees of urinary obstruction.
This means the condition is not malignant – it won’t invade other tissues
– but is becoming larger than normal. The prostate gland surrounds the
urethra, which descends from the bladder through the penis, and can block
the flow of urine when enlarged. Apparently, BPH is an almost universal
phenomenon in men as they age, beginning at around 45 years old and continuing
until, by age 70, 90% of men have an enlarged prostate. Due to this enlargement
BPH is the leading cause of urinary outflow obstruction in men. Some researchers
have suggested that BPH typically indicates low levels of male hormones.
The primary signs and symptoms are generally urinary obstruction, which
does not correlate well to amount of enlargement of the prostate.
With a gradual progresion, telltales signs usually include:

Conventional treatment includes surgical removal of all or part of the prostate.
Most patients improve significantly after treatment but may be rendered
impotent. Surgery is not to be taken lightly



Important questions to ask your doctor include the “rule-outs”
which means you want to be sure that the diagnosis is definite and correct.
Possible problems that could mimic BPH are:

Now, onto the information about what you can do about this diagnosis. First,
remember, men do not die from this condition unless it co-exists with prostate
cancer. The first area of non-surgical, non-drug treatment suggestion is
“Physical Medicine” which means what you can do with exercise,
water, and manipulation such as massage. Any alternative practitioner worth
their salt will tell you that the first order of business is prevention.
But, since you already have the problem there are a few exercises that
can improve circulation to the general area as well as tone the bladder.
The first is a set of movements commonly called “Kegel” exercises
which involves pulling up rhythmically on the pelvic floor (all the muscles
around the scrotum and the anus) with the lower abdominal muscles as you
exhale, and keep pulling up on the squeeze until you need to take a breath.
Repeat 10 times, 5 or 6 times daily. This can be done very discretely
— nobody needs to know you’re doing this exercise. It’s perfect for commuting,
or while you’re sitting around waiting for someone or something, or in the
shower. The other set of exercises are too complex to explain here. They
involve an ancient Chinese energy moving technique called “Qi Gong,”
widely practised in China and around the world for all sorts of complaints,
as well as for prevention. So, back to prevention. Aerobic exercise, a
minimum of 3 times weekly for 20 minutes at your target heart rate, will
do wonders for not only the prostate gland, but for your heart, lungs, bones
and mental well-being.



Another aspect of physical medicine is the use of hot and/or cold water
to treat a complaint. Some hydrotherapy methods that have worked well for
BPH are hot foot baths, which can stimulate the returning circulation from
the legs as the blood comes back up to the heart, and alternating sitz baths.
This is a marvelous naturopathic technique for all sorts of pelvic complaints.
The idea is basically to sit in a warm tub for 3 minutes or so, then get
out and transfer your backside immediately to a basin (large enough to accomodate
said backside, up to the hips) filled with COLD water. No kidding; this
means chilled water with a tray of ice cubes dumped in. Stay in there about
1 minute, then back to the warm for 3 minutes, then back to the cold, and
so on back and forth at least 3 times. The warm water relaxes the blood
flow and the cold contracts it, thereby enhancing vigorous circulatory flow
to the pelvis. Envigorating and highly effective. Also, inexpensive and
you probably have all the tools you need at home right now. A big basin,
a bathtub, hot and cold running water and a freezer with ice cubes in it.
That’s it.



It may be useful to treat the spine at the levels where the nerves serving
the pelvic area emerge. This is called Spondylotherapy and might consist
of using percussion (gentle tapping) or a sine wave current over the spinal
levels T12 or L1, L2, L3. Scoliosis or other spinal misalignments can sometimes
exaggerate protate problems. Make sure your vertebrae are all lined up.




Some people have greatly benefitted from gentle prostatic massage weekly.
Some men are actually able to perform this themselves, but the less limber
may request the therapist to instruct your spouse in the technique. It
feels good!



If you know a doctor or licensed therapist with physical medicine equipment,
ultrasound over the perineum or diathermy over the lower abdomen may help.



A critical area of health care which is finally getting deserved recognition
is the whole field of nutrition. It’s true that you are, indeed, made out
of what you eat. Think about it. The following list of supplements are
provided because it may be difficult to get these nutrients through “regular”
eating:

To begin you self-help program from “regular” food, the following
eating principles should be considered:

Specific therapeutic foods to consider are:

For folks willing to make fresh juices:

Of course there’s the what you SHOULDN’T eat category…Please strongly consider avoiding:




And to finish the food section, it’s very important to avoid constipation
in prostate problems. Remember, the idea here is to keep things flowing
and moving.



Homeopathy is a 250-yr. old system of medicine which developed initially
in Europe in which tiny amounts of plant, mineral and animal substances
are given to “stimulate” the natural healing power within us all.
Substances that would, in very large doses, create the symptoms exhibited
by the patient, for example urinary retention, are considered as potential
“remedies” in the tiny dose. This is a guiding principle of
homeopathic medicine, and can be summarized “Like Cures Like.”
Make sure to consult with a board-certified (DHANP) homeopath. The following
remedies will certainly be among those considered. The remedy chosen for
you will ideally fit your entire symptom picture, including how you are
when totally healthy. Each medical problem in homeopathy is treated individually,
because what’s being cured is not the “problem,” but YOU. Here’s
a sample list:

Another extensively researched area of healthcare which provides benefits
without drugs, radiation or surgery is the vast field of botanical medicine.
This ancient healing art most likely began by observing animals in the
wild treating themselves for wounds, bites, rancid food and the like. Botanical
medicine is the therapeutic use of medicinal plants in a variety of forms
(tea, decoction, tincture, poultice, cream, salve, ear drops, etc.) to restore
the body and mind to full health. The following list of medicinal plants
(sometimes called “herbs” — the word drug comes from an old Flemish
word, “droog,” which means dried plant) are useful for BPH. Please
don’t use them without consulting a well-educated herbalist or naturopathic
physician. It is extremely rare for even the most open-minded of medical
doctors to have adequate training to dispense medicinal herbs.

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.

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.

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:

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:

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:




Visualization:


and Affirmation:

Closing thoughts:

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):


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:

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:

Eating principles include, for acute prostatitis:

And for chronic prostatitis:

Extra supplements to consider:

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:

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):

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.

Flower essences most frequently chosen for prostatis are dill or garlic.



Healing colors are, for acute prostatitis, turquoise directed towards
the front of the body and blue, which promotes relaxation, lowers high temperatures
and reduces inflamed tissue when directed towards the gland as much as possible.
For chronic postatitis use lemon (helps to dissolve blood clots). With
enlargement of the gland (BPH), plus infection (prostatitis), orange acts
as a decongestant and indigo acts as an astringent (to tonify boggy tissues),
antipyic (reducing pus formation), and hemostatic (reducing bleeding and
inflammation.



Psychospiritual metaphors and correlations for inflammation to consider
revolve around the “inflammatory” feeling of fear, especially
as it expresses through anger. Examples of this kind of thinking are often
described in a telling manner: inflamed thinking; seeing red; seething with
anger and frustration about conditions in one’s life. Remember too that
the prostate represents masculine principle.



If you have an astrological bent you may want to look at what’s going on
with conjunctions with your birth chart indicators: Perhaps Mars, Pluto,
or a planet in Scorpio are afflicted.



And the all-important mental connection, true for almost all disease, includes
the power of the spoken word, spoken lovingly to yourself. Consider the
following affirmations:

Those who are prone to inflammations are attempting to avoid conflicts.
Questions that arise may be useful to explore in a more conventional psychotherapeutic
context:

Prostate Cancer

Finally, the most serious diagnosis for the prostate gland will be briefly
discussed. As a very general rule of thumb, carcinoma (cancer) is usually
best treated with a COMBINATION of conventional therapies (in fact one of
the most effective chemotherapy regimes is the one for prostate cancer,
in terms of relatively few side effects and a good cure rate, especially
with early detection) and supportive complementary treatments, which will
be discussed below.



Prostate cancer is very rarely seen in males under 50 years old, and is
rated third in cancer deaths in male patients over the age of 65 (behind
lung and colon). Most are adenocarcinomas. They are associated with benign
prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), but there is no specific causative link. Cancer
can be tricky. Signs and symptoms may not present at all. Or you might
experience urinary frequency, urgency or needing to pee during the night.
A physician will often find a firm, hard prostate on rectal digital exam.



The role of healthy eating can not be overemphasized in both prevention
and reversal of cancer. In general, the eating principles with prostate
cancer are based on alkalinizing the system. Alkaline fasts must be undertaken
under physician supervision — a physician well versed in therapeutic fasting,
and with a good grip on nutritional biochemistry.



Therapeutic foods to consider are:

Additional supplements, geared towards resolving malignancy, as opposed
to specifically towards the prostate, are:

The botanicals listed are, again, geared to halting the progression of cancerous
growth, and to ameliorating the side-effects of chemotherapy. They are listed
alphabetically, and with their particular restorative function. For doses
and duration please consult a qualified herbalist or naturopath.

The famous “Hoxsey” herbal formula for malignancy also deserves
mention here. It is comprised of:


Glycyrrhiza glabra, 12 g.

Trifolium pratense, 12 g.

Arctium lappa, 6 g.

Stillingia sylvatica (toxic), 6 g.

Berberis aquifolium, 6 g.

Phytolacca decandra (toxic), 6 g.

Rhamnus purshiana, 3 g.

Rhamnus frangula (toxic), 3 g.

Xanthoxylum americanum, 3 g.


To mix up the formula, combine the dry herbs, place in 3 cups of water and
simmer for 10-15 minutes. Cool, strain and store in a dark glass jar.
Dose: use 2-4 tbsp. tea in a third cup water adding 1-2 drops of saturated
potassium iodide and 5-11 drops strong iodine (Lugol’s) solution. Take
four times daily, with food, and again before bed.



Traditional Chinese Medicine therapies will not be discussed in great detail
here because it is critical to not hope that they would suffice, alone,
to treat cancer. However, the following guidelines towards understanding
a TCM diagnosis are offered:

Homeopathic remedies that might be chosen are:

Flower essences to consider:

Colors to work with:

Metaphors and correlations to ponder:


Visualizations and affirmations for approaching cancer must be individualized
so that they are deeply meaningful for you. It is quite likely that someone
in your community will be able to guide you in creating specific healing
metaphors and imagery to work with the issues that have produced prostate
cancer. Have faith in the healing power of your own mind and your own body.


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