Prostatitis according to Chinese Medicine
The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.
Prostatitis factsheet
Possible causes and remedies:
Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner
Symptoms: Thirst Amenorrhea Night fever and five other symptoms
Recommended formula: Tao He Cheng Qi Tang
Symptoms: Dry mouth Dry throat Painful urination and three other symptoms
Recommended formula: Ba Zheng San
In Chinese Medicine, prostatitis can be associated with two so-called "patterns of disharmony". Chinese Medicine sees the body as a system, not a sum of isolated parts. A "pattern" is when the system's harmony is disrupted. It is not equivalent to the Western concept of "disease", as a matter of fact here prostatitis can be caused by two different patterns.
To understand whether someone's prostatitis might be caused by a given pattern, one needs to look for signs and symptoms associated with the pattern beyond what one might typically experience from prostatitis alone. For instance when prostatitis is caused by the pattern Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner, patients also experience symptoms such as lower abdominal pain, night fever, delirious speech and irritability. Similarly, patients with Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner typically exhibit choppy (Se) or full (Shi) pulses.
We've listed below a description of the two patterns associated with prostatitis so that you can start to get an understanding of the various possibilities according to Chinese Medicine.
Once identified, patterns are often treated using herbal formulas. Drinking herbal infusions is the most common remedy in Chinese Medicine, together with acupuncture. Here we detail below three formulas that can help treat the various patterns associated with prostatitis, depending on which pattern fits your profile.
The two "patterns of disharmony" associated with prostatitis
The Triple Burner is a so-called "Fu" Organ. Learn more about the Triple Burner in Chinese Medicine
Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner
Pulse type(s): Choppy (Se), Full (Shi)
Recommended herbal formula: Tao He Cheng Qi Tang
Symptoms: Thirst Amenorrhea Night fever Irritability Dysmenorrhea Restlnessness Delirious speech Lower abdominal pain
Prostatitis might be due to Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as lower abdominal pain, night fever, delirious speech and irritability. Similarly, patients with Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner typically exhibit choppy (Se) or full (Shi) pulses.
Read more about Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner here
The Triple Burner is a so-called "Fu" Organ. Learn more about the Triple Burner in Chinese Medicine
Damp-Heat in the Lower Burner
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu), Slippery (Hua)
Tongue coating: Yellow coating
Recommended herbal formula: Ba Zheng San
Symptoms: Dry mouth Dry throat Painful urination Urinary retention Lower abdominal pain Scanty and dark urine
Prostatitis might be due to Damp-Heat in the Lower Burner if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as scanty and dark urine, painful urination, dry mouth and dry throat. Similarly, patients with Damp-Heat in the Lower Burner typically exhibit rapid (Shu) or slippery (Hua) pulses as well as a tongue with yellow coating.
The three herbal formulas that might help with prostatitis
Tao He Cheng Qi Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Key actions: Dispels Heat and. Eliminates Blood Stagnation.
Why might Tao He Cheng Qi Tang help with prostatitis?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner, a pattern sometimes associated with prostatitis. If it looks like you might suffer from Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner, this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Ba Zheng San
Source date: 1107 AD
Number of ingredients: 9 herbs
Key actions: Clears Heat and Fire. Promotes urination. Unblocks painful urinary dribbling.
Why might Ba Zheng San help with prostatitis?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat Damp-Heat in the Lower Burner, a pattern sometimes associated with prostatitis. If it looks like you might suffer from Damp-Heat in the Lower Burner, this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Zhi Zi Chi Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 2 herbs
Key actions: Clears Heat. Alleviates restlessness and irritability.
Why might Zhi Zi Chi Tang help with prostatitis?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat , a pattern sometimes associated with prostatitis. If it looks like you might suffer from , this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Symptoms related to prostatitis
Lower abdominal pain Night fever Delirious speech Irritability Restlnessness Thirst Amenorrhea Dysmenorrhea Scanty and dark urine Painful urination
