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.
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Swollen prostate can be the consequence of several so-called “patterns of disharmony” in Chinese Medicine.
Chinese Medicine sees the body as a system, not a sum of isolated parts. A "pattern" is when the system's harmony is disrupted, leading to symptoms or signs that something is wrong (like swollen prostate here). It is similar to the concept of disease in Western Medicine but not quite: a Western disease can often be explained by several Chinese patterns and vice-versa.
A pattern often manifests itself in a combination of symptoms that, at first glance, do not seem necessarily related to each others. For instance here swollen prostate is often associated with dark urine, constipation and fever in the pattern “Toxic-Heat”.
Once identified, patterns are treated using medicinal herbs, acupuncture, and other therapies. In the case of swollen prostate we’ve identified five herbal formulas that may help treat patterns behind the symptom.
We’ve also selected below the five medicinal herbs that we think are most likely to help treat swollen prostate.
In Chinese Medicine swollen prostate is a symptom for the pattern "Toxic-Heat". Below is a small explanation for it with links for more details.
Honeysuckle Flowers (Jin Yin Hua) is the king ingredient for Yin Qiao San, a formula used for Toxic-Heat
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu)
Tongue coating: Yellow coating
Tongue color: Red
In addition to swollen prostate, other symptoms associated with Toxic-Heat include dark urine, constipation and fever.
From a Western Medicine standpoint Toxic-Heat is associated with health issues such as Abnormal Vaginal Discharge.
Toxic-Heat is often treated with Yin Qiao San, a herbal formula made of 10 herbs (including Honeysuckle Flowers - Jin Yin Hua - as a key herb). Yin Qiao San belongs to the category of "external formulas for external disorders", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Disperses Wind Heat".
The top herbs in Huang Lian Jie Du Tang are Goldthread Rhizomes (Huang Lian), Baikal Skullcap Roots (Huang Qin) and Phellodendron Bark (Huang Bo)
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Toxic-Heat' of which prostate swollen is a symptom.
Source date: 1617
Number of ingredients: 10 herbs
Key actions: Spreads Lung Qi. Clears Heat. Unblocks the orifices (specifically the nose) .
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Toxic-Heat' of which prostate swollen is a symptom.
The top herbs in Yin Qiao San are Honeysuckle Flowers (Jin Yin Hua), Forsythia Fruits (Lian Qiao) and Platycodon Roots (Jie Geng)
Source date: 1798 AD
Number of ingredients: 10 herbs
Key actions: Disperses Wind Heat. Clears Heat. Resolves Toxicity.
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Toxic-Heat' of which prostate swollen is a symptom.
The top herbs in Sang Ju Yin are Mulberry Leaves (Sang Ye), Chrysanthemum Flowers (Ju Hua) and Forsythia Fruits (Lian Qiao)
Source date: 1798 AD
Number of ingredients: 8 herbs
Key actions: Disperses Wind. Stops coughing by invigorating Lung Qi. Clears Heat.
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Toxic-Heat' of which prostate swollen is a symptom.
The top herbs in Bai Hu Tang are Gypsum (Shi Gao), Anemarrhena Rhizomes (Zhi Mu) and Liquorice (Gan Cao)
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 4 herbs
Key actions: Clears Qi-level Heat. Drains Stomach Fire. Generates fluids. Alleviates thirst.
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Toxic-Heat' of which prostate swollen is a symptom.
Because Liquorice is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat swollen prostate as a symptom, like Bai Hu Tang or Sang Ju Yin for instance.
Liquorice is a Neutral herb that tastes Sweet. It targets the Heart, the Lung, the Spleen and the Stomach.
Its main actions are: Tonifies the Basal Qi and nourishes the Spleen Qi. Clears Heat and dispels toxicity. Moistens the Lungsexpel phlegm and stop coughing. Relieves spasms and alleviates pain. Harmonizes and moderates the effects of other herbs.
Because Forsythia Fruit is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat swollen prostate as a symptom, like Yin Qiao San or Sang Ju Yin for instance.
Forsythia Fruits is a Cool herb that tastes Bitter. It targets the Heart, the Lung and the Small intestine.
Its main actions are: Expels Heat and toxicity from the Blood. Dispels External Wind-Heat. Reduces lumps, swollen lymph nodes and sores of a Heated nature.
Because Baikal Skullcap Root is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat swollen prostate as a symptom, like Gan Lu Xiao Du Dan or Huang Lian Jie Du Tang for instance.
Baikal Skullcap Roots is a Cold herb that tastes Bitter. It targets the Gallbladder, the Heart, the Large intestine, the Lung, the Small intestine and the Spleen.
Its main actions are: Expels Heat and Dampness. Clears Upper Burner Heat, especially of the Lung. Clears Heat and stops reckless movement of Blood. Clears pathogenic Heat which is upsetting the fetus. Cools the Liver, reducing Liver Yang rising syndrome.
Because Platycodon Root is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat swollen prostate as a symptom, like Yin Qiao San or Sang Ju Yin for instance.
Platycodon Roots is a Neutral herb that tastes Bitter and Pungent. It targets the Lung.
Its main actions are: Opens the Lungs and smoothes the flow of Lung Qi. Expels Phlegm and pus from the Lungs and throat, can be used for either Wind-Cold or Wind-Heat according to the other herbs in the formula. Directs the actions of other herbs to the Upper Warmer.
Because Anemarrhena Rhizome is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat swollen prostate as a symptom, like Bai Hu Tang or San Zhong Kui Jian Tang for instance.
Anemarrhena Rhizomes is a Cold herb that tastes Bitter and Sweet. It targets the Kidney, the Lung and the Stomach.
Its main actions are: Clears Heat and Fire from the Qi level. Clears Heat and Fire from the Lung and Stomach. Clears Heat and tonifies the Yin.
Painful period Dark clots in menstrual blood Irregular menstruation Lochia retention Infertility Late period Abdominal pain after childbirth Dark Urine Constipation Fever