Treatment for prostate enlargement
Treatment of prostate enlargement is required only if the symptoms are severe and disrupt the patient’s life routine. Patients with mild symptoms may not need treatment other than continued observation to ensure that their condition does not worsen. This tactic is from time to time called “watchful waiting” or observing.
A diversity of methods are offered for the treatment of prostate enlargement, including drugs, minimally invasive therapies, and surgery. The best treatment choice for you will depend on several factors, including:
- The size of your prostate
- Your age
- Your overall health
Traditional western treatment for enlarged prostate
- Catheterization: This procedure is necessary as emergency relief in the case of urine
- Transurethral microwave procedures. This method assumes the use of a unique device – Prostatron, which applies microwaves to a prostate gland and destroys the excess of the prostate’s tissue.
- Transurethral needle ablation (TUNA) is the treatment system that brings radiofrequency currents and burns the area of the gland’s enlargement.
- Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) surgical removal of the obstructing tissues
- Complete prostate gland removal is recommended in cases when the hyperplasia of the prostate gland is completely out of control and when signs of malignization are registered based on the clinical and lab assessments.
- Laser surgery. Surgical procedures that apply the energy of the YAG laser to vanish the extra tissues.
Bellow, we’ll discuss the pros and cons for different traditional approaches to BPH treatment
Medicines for the treatment for prostate enlargement
Medications are the most common treatment for prostate enlargement in case if the disease manifests with mild to moderate symptoms of an enlarged prostate. Options include:
Alpha-Blockers.
These medications relax the bladder neck muscles and prostate muscle fibers, making urination easier. Alpha-blockers – which include alfuzosin (Uroxatral), doxazosin (Cardura), tamsulosin (Flomax), and silodosin (Rapaflo) – usually work quickly in men with relatively small prostates. Side effects can include dizziness and a harmless condition in which semen returns to the bladder instead of exiting the tip of the penis (retrograde ejaculation).
5-alpha reductase inhibitors.
These drugs reduce the prostate, preventing hormonal changes that cause prostate growth. Those drugs such as finasteride (Proscar) and dutasteride (Avodart) can take up to half of a year to take effect. Side effects include retrograde ejaculation – the form of erectile dysfunction.
Combined drug therapy.
Your doctor may recommend taking an alpha-blocker and a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor at the same time if either drug alone is not effective.
Tadalafil (Cialis).
Studies suggest that this medication, often used to treat erectile dysfunction, can also treat prostate enlargement.
Surgical approach for treatment for enlarged prostate
Transurethral electrospray
This technique uses electrical energy applied through an electrode to quickly heat prostate tissue, turning tissue cells into vapor. This allows the doctor to spray an area of the enlarged tissue and relieve the urinary blockage.
GreenLight ™ laser
This method removes access to prostate tissue with a help of a green laser. It causes less bleeding throughout and afterward the procedure.
If your symptoms are tolerable, you can postpone treatment and just monitor your symptoms. In some men, symptoms may subside without treatment.
Several types of surgery can be used to remove prostate tissue that is blocking the flow of urine, including:
Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP)
The urologist removes the tissue blocking the urethra with a special instrument. Side effects of surgical treatment may include:
- bleeding,
- infection,
- impotence (inability to maintain a sex-appropriate erection),
- incontinence (inability to control the flow of urine), and
- retrograde ejaculation.
Transurethral Prostate Incision (TUIP)
The urologist makes two small incisions in the neck of the bladder (where the urethra and bladder meet) and in the prostate to widen the urethra to improve the flow of blood. urine.
Minimally invasive treatments for BPH
New treatments for BPH have been developed that are less invasive and less harmful to healthy tissue than surgery. In general, minimally invasive procedures are performed on an outpatient basis, resulting in fewer side effects, are less costly, and allow for faster recovery. The most common side effects reported for these methods of treatment area:
- urinary frequency and
- irritation during prostate healing.
As these techniques are new, little information is available about their usefulness and long-term complications.
Urethral Prostate Elevation – UroLift
The urethral prostate elevation is a procedure that separates the enlarged lobes of the prostate to make the urethra wider so that it is easier to urinate. The urologist surgeon inserts a special tool into the urethra and pushes it onward. When the tool reaches the lateral wall of the prostate, it ejects small, thin implants on both sides of the prostate, pulling the urethra and prostate to open the canal. Depending on the size of the prostate, the urologist will place 2 to 6 implants.
Water vapor therapy
The urologist inserts an instrument into the urethra and moves it towards the prostate. A needle is injected by the instrument into the prostate and emits steam. The steam turns into the water in the prostate, and the heat energy created by the water kills the prostate cells. The patient reabsorbs dead cells and the prostate shrinks.
Embolization
In this experimental procedure, blood flow to or from the prostate is selectively blocked, causing the prostate to shrink. There are no long-term data on the effectiveness of this procedure.
Prostate gland anatomy and physiology.
The prostate gland is one of the most vulnerable and weak organs in the men’s body. This gland is ruddy-brown and as small as English walnut. The prostate gland influences not only the physical condition of the body but also disturbs night sleep by calling for more than a few trips to the lavatory during the evening. Also, an enlarged prostate can kill an individual by generating uremic toxic substances.
In elderly men, an enlarged prostate gland becomes a convenient place for cancer development. The prostate gland is one of the most important organs that contribute to healthy sexual life. This organ stores seminal fluid, aka prostate juice, which is essential for a man’s fertility. Healthy seminal fluid, produced by the prostate gland, contains all necessary ingredients for nourishing the sperm (fats, carbs, enzymes, and proteins). This prostate juice also defends sperm from the acidity of the vagina and creates for spermatozoids a water-like environment where they can swim.
During an ejaculation, testicles deliver 150-200 million spermatozoids and the prostate fluid transport them toward the egg.
What is BPH
While the prostate gland ages, it develops from the size of an almond in teenagers to the scale of walnut in adults. In medical terminology, it is called BPH or Benign Prostate Hyperplasia.
The small part of the urinary conduit aka urethra that drains the bladder runs thru the gland. That’s why any prostate enlargement (inflammation, tumor, and cyst) may obstruct the urine flow by squeezing the urethra.
In cases of complete blockage, the urine flows back to the bladder creating a depot of stagnant liquid in which bacteria can successfully grow, causing serious chronic forms of inflammations, retention and as a result it hydronephrosis.
In a mature man, the gland normally weighs approximately 20 grams. Almost 75 percent of prostate size and weight advances during the age between 15 and 22 as a result of hormonal deviations related to sexual development. The gland doubles in weight and size during this period of man’s life.
Regrettably, 60 percent of men after the age of forty suffer from non-threatening enlargement of the prostate gland aka Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH).
Some scientists describe BPH in men as a stage of body development similar to menopause in women. However, the symptoms are completely different.
The chief complaint that BPH patients report is an advanced decline in the ability to urinate as the prostate gland expands and compresses the urethra.
Symptoms of enlarged prostate
- The urgency to urinate as a result of stretching of the vesical sphincter
- Drooling
- UTI
- Man need to wait for urination to begin and straining does not help
- Stream is feeble with the tendency to stop (starts and drops)
- Dull pain as a result of acute retention of urine
- A sensation of pressure in the lower stomach area
- Chance of Hematuria
- Renal failure
International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS).
The primary purpose of IPSS is to summarize and confirm answers to the inquiries related to the conditions of the UTI in general and the prostate gland mainly. Seven questions aka IPSS have been implemented everywhere in the world. The result of the IPSS survey delivers duplicable and measurable figures on the subject of complaints and reactions to the healing process for BPH. Each inquiry lets a patient decide on 1 of 6 responses representing growing harshness of symptoms on a scale of 0-5.
Natural treatment for enlarged prostate
You can try some options that have been found to help treat an enlarged prostate that doesn’t include prescription drugs or surgery. However, keep in mind that while natural remedies can help ease the discomfort, you should still make sure to discuss your situation with a urologist. It is important to speak to a doctor before starting a new supplement because the label “natural” does not always mean that it is safe or effective.
One of the best natural remedies for an enlarged prostate is simply to lead a healthy lifestyle. When you make sure that your diet is filled with nutrient-dense foods and that you get enough exercise, you will be less likely to develop severe symptoms of an enlarged prostate. There are various traditional treatments for an enlarged prostate, that were described above, but they can have unpleasant side effects that lead many men to look for alternatives.
Living with an enlarged prostate
Changing only a lifestyle sometimes may help to relieve the symptoms of prostate enlargement and avoid further illness development and deterioration.
I usually advise my patients to:
- Limit intake of liquids in the late afternoon and nighttime.If possible stop consumption of any fluids, including soups, water, soda, alcohol, tea, coffee, etc. 2-3 hours before bedtime.
- Avoid overfill of the bladder. Don’t allow your bladder to overfill. Do your best to empty it completely every time you are urinating. Sometimes, urinating in a sitting position make this process easier.
- Limit spirits consumption. Liquors escalate urine manufacturing and often cause urination.
- Avoid over-the-counter cold medicines. Some decongestants lead to spasms of sphincters which makes urination more challenging.
- Stay active. Physical activities, including walking and jogging advance blood circulation in the pelvic area and thus improve the functions of the muscles of the bladder wall, sphincters, and urethra.
- Avoid cold environments. Cold temperature may result in urine retention due to spasm of band muscles of the bladder.
Ayurvedic medicine – herbal treatment for enlarged prostate
The Food and Drug Administration has not approved any herbal medication for the treatment of prostate enlargement.
Studies of herbal therapies as a treatment for prostate enlargement have had mixed results. One study found that saw palmetto extract was effective in relieving BPH symptoms, although prostate volumes were significantly reduced.
Other herbal treatments for BPH – including beta-sitosterol, pygeum, and ryegrass extracts – have been suggested to be helpful in reducing the symptoms of an enlarged prostate. But the long-term safety and effectiveness of these treatments have not been proven.
If you take herbal remedies, tell your doctor. Some herbal products may increase your risk of bleeding or interfere with other medications you are taking.
The most commonly used herbs for BPH are:
This herbal remedy comes from an African plum tree and has been used for centuries for urinary problems such as UTIs and for the treatment of enlarged prostate
Saw palmetto is an herbal supplement that has been traditionally used by Ayurveda medicine practitioners to relieve urinary symptoms, expressly those associated with an enlarged prostate.
This natural supplement made from a combination of plants has been suggested to help relieve urinary symptoms of an enlarged prostate after several studies have been carried out.
Rye Grass Pollen Extract (Cernilton)
Cernilton is made from rye, timothy grass, and corn pollen and has been suggested to help improve nocturnal symptoms of an enlarged prostate, such as getting up to urinate. It is usually sold in supplement aisles in pharmacies and health food stores.
The hairs of this plant can cause severe pain, but when used as a medicine, they can sometimes help improve the symptoms of an enlarged prostate.
Babaçu also known as Orbignya speciose, is a type of palm found in Brazil that helps in the treatment of urogenital symptoms and has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Each Pumpkin seed contains beta-sitosterol, recommended by Western medicine practitioners in order to help improve urine flow and reduce the amount of urine left in the bladder after urination.
This is the ingredient of the juice of tomatoes that makes them look orange or red. This natural pigment can help slow the progression of prostate enlargement.
Zinc-zinc deficiencies have been shown to contribute to the likelihood of developing enlarged prostate symptoms, so adding a zinc supplement can help reduce your risk factors.
Green Tea – Green tea antioxidants are great for the whole body, but catechins can help slow the progression of prostate cancer and other urological diseases.
Acupuncture near me – an ancient Chinese treatment for enlarged prostate
Most men will deal with BPH during the aging process, but there are steps you can take to minimize prostate problems. If you are experiencing prostate pain, urge to urinate, urinate more often, or are unable to empty your bladder completely, it may be worth trying acupuncture and herbs to help with prostate enlargement.
Researchers have found that acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are effective in relieving urinary retention caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition often called prostate enlargement. Benign prostatic hyperplasia usually leads to disorders of the bladder, kidneys, and urinary tract.
The researchers at Kaifeng City Central Hospital confirm that electroacupuncture, as a stand-alone treatment for prostate enlargement, produces significant positive outcome rates for patients with urinary retention secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia. As a supplementary method of patient care, the same research crew found a combination of finasteride with the patented drug Qian Lie An Tong Pian (Prostate Harmonizing Pills) effective in treating urinary retention due to an enlarged prostate. The results were published in a research article entitled Observations on the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture on urinary retention due to an enlarged prostate.
Unlike medical treatments for BPH, there really is no downside to trying acupuncture for male health problems. Dr. Tsan and Dr. Galanter of the Art of Philadelphia Holistic Clinic have over 30 years of experience helping men improve their fertility and sexual health.
Homeopathic Treatment for prostate enlargement
Of course for the most effective homeopathic treatment practitioner should follow the rules of individuality, the “like cures like” philosophy, and the holistic approach.
BPH is a medical disorder that distorts any physician’s strategy because the supremacy of the symptoms, in this case, prevails by the patient.
Ill individuals are usually so distressed and so uncomfortable that they recognize the significance of their general, personal, and constitutional symptoms.
That’s why many homeopathic physicians start treatment with the symptomatic approach to relieve major symptoms of the disease using palliative tactics and only after the symptoms diminish they administer constitutional remedies for enduring, lasting relief.
A homeopath may find mixed miasmas in the BPH patient, however, Sycosis plays an important part in this disease.
So, when homeopaths switch from palliative to general treatment the following remedies appear on the top of the list:
SABAL SERRULATA ( SAW PALMETTO)
In recent times, medical writings have delivered a greater than before backing for the administration of natural ingredients that avert the advanced development of the hyperplasia of the prostate gland (BPH). Saw palmetto is certainly the acknowledged herbal medicine for BPH treatment. It is a vegetal that grows in the USA. Naturopathic practitioners use this medicinal herb for over two hundred. According to the medical publications dated by the beginning of the 19th century, Saw Palmetto is a medicinal herb. Based on clinical medical studies the extract of this plant relieves symptoms related to the reproduction system in both men and women, and the range of these symptoms is from prostate enlargement (hyperplasia) to menstrual discomfort in the OB-GYN clinic. The extract of this medicinal plant prevents testosterone from transforming into dihydrotestosterone, which causes proliferation of the prostate cells resulting in enlarged prostate.
Saw Palmetto stops androgen and estrogen receptors and thus stimulates vigorous hair growth. This herb also reduces Dihydro-testosterone (DHT) concentration in the bloodstream preventing baldness. Because of its hormonal effect, it can aid the thyroid in regulating sexual development and normalizing the activity of those glands and organs.
The following properties of Saw Palmetto make this herb one of the most recognized in the naturopathic clinic:
- Treats an enlarged prostate
- Reduces urges to urinate, especially at the nighttime
- Bedwetting
- Atonia of the bladder sphincter muscle
- Painful or difficult urination
- UTI
- Applies its healing ability on membrane-prostatic fragments of the urethra
THUJA OCCIDENTALIS ( ARBOR VITAE )
I recommend using Thuja to cure the following conditions:
- Sycotic dyscrasia on the reproductive-urinary system;
- Sycotic discomforts: muscles and joints aches;
- Surplus of Hydrogen and as a result of H2O in the bloodstream and fleshy tissue;
- Rapid weight loss, skinniness, and tiredness;
- An overstated conception, certainty, or false impression that continues, regardless of proof to the contrary, and governs the thoughts and emotions;
- Enlarged prostate;
- Gonorrhea in the past;
- Inflammation of glans and foreskin (the pleat of skin that hides the glans of the penis);
- Infection in urethra with swelling and divided urine stream;
- Feeling of itching in urethra next to urination;
- The necessity to urinate is impulsive and imperative, the patient can’t stop the urge;
- Recurrent urges to urinate;
- Pain in the pelvic area.
PETROSELINUM ( PARSLEY )
Parsley is a very popular herb, used in most cuisines but is native to the Mediterranean coast of South-Western Europe and North Africa, and Asia (Greece, Italy, Turkey, Egipt, etc.). Parsley in these countries has been grown for more than two thousand years and used for medical purposes before it was used up as food. In old Greece, the population held this herb to be blessed. Petroselinum crispum aka Parsley contains flavonoids – specifically flavones apigenin, flavonols quercetin, luteolin, and kaempferol. These elements function as strong antioxidants – especially if combined with extremely responsive oxygen-containing radicals. Thus, parsley helps to avoid oxygen-based destruction to prostate cells. Also, parsley extract is evidenced to increase the antioxidants volume in the blood.
The most similar symptoms for Petroselinum (Parsley) are:
- Piping hot sensation along with stinging from perineum all the way through the urethra
- Abrupt necessity to urinate
- Unexpected irresistible desire to urinate
- Intense stinging, irritation deep in the urethra
- White and creamy discharge
HYDRANGEA ( SEVEN BARKS )
Naturopathic physicians and herbalists use Hydrangea for centuries as an effective treatment for prostate enlargement. They also, often combine hydrangea with Horsetail for better and faster results. Hydrangea is one of the best botanical medicines for pain due to nephrological medical disorders. Amazing, but Hydrangea can resize kidney stones, make them smaller and
Hydrangea is very rich in silica and thus is important to preserve the flexibility of filtering pipes in kidneys. Arteries, especially important for proper blood circulation through the filtering tubules of each kidney. I prescribe Hydrangea if during assessment find the following symptoms and modalities:
- Prostate enlargement
- Urine work shows rich sediments of white, unstructured obstacles in urine;
- Scorching in the urethra and recurrent needs to urinate;
- A patient experiences difficulties to start urination;
- Acute discomfort in the groin area
- A great deal of thirstiness accompanies enlarged prostate
Holistic treatment for prostate enlargement in Philadelphia
If you are experiencing difficulties urinating and think you may have symptoms of an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia) or have other symptoms of concern, call your doctor immediately. BPH requires proper diagnosis to ensure that the right treatment is given. Discomfort is how your body says something is wrong, so don’t force yourself unnecessarily out of fear of diagnosing an enlarged prostate. The holistic approach and treatment protocol for the treatment of enlarged prostate considers the severity of symptoms, the size of the prostate gland, and the overall medical condition. Homeopathic medicine is a treatment modality of choice. However, a discussion of each case with a urologist for an accurate diagnosis is essential. Homeopathic remedies are natural, harmless, and easy to take.
Medicinal herbs, acupuncture, and homeopathy reduce urination regularity, improve the urine stream and prevent the development of UTIs.
To make an appointment for the initial evaluation and discuss with Doctor Tsan if homeopathic treatment is the right choice for you call Philadelphia Homeopathic Clinic at (267) 403-3085
You can also schedule your appointment online using our mobile scheduling application.
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