How Do You Shrink An Enlarged Prostate And Lower Psa Naturally
One way to shrink an enlarged prostate is through medication, but if you are not ready to take prescription medication, there are some more natural approaches that you can explore, like changes to your diet and exercise routine.
A 2013 review showed that many males with BPH also had vitamin D deficiency. The review also discusses additional studies that focused on increasing vitamin D intake which showed promising results in reducing BPH. Either through supplements or vitamin D-rich foods, increasing vitamin D in your diet may cause a reduction in BPH symptoms.
Obesity may also play a role in the severity of BPH symptoms. Positive changes to your diet may also help with BPH, particularly with the inclusion of more fruits and vegetables like tomatoes that can also lower the risk of developing prostate cancer and bell peppers that are rich in vitamin C.
Data Extraction And Management
A data extraction form will be developed and study data will be assessed and extracted independently by two reviewers, JY and WP. The following data will be extracted from each included study: patients demographic characteristics, including maximum, minimum and mean age inclusion and exclusion criteria type, frequency and treatment course of acupuncture therapy and all outcomes. Type, severity, number of adverse effects, as well as number/reasons for dropouts, withdrawals, and patients lost to follow-up will also be recorded. Information not available in the trials will be sought from authors by email, telephone or post. Extracted data will be reviewed by WZ and discrepancies will be judged by the arbitrator, ZL.
Risk of bias assessment
Measures of treatment effect
For dichotomous data, relative risk with corresponding 95% CIs will be used while continuous data will be expressed as mean differences with 95% CIs. MD will be used for data measured on the same scales and for which the same units are used. Standardised mean differences will be used if all studies assess the same outcome but measure it in various ways.
Unit of analysis issues
In case unit of analysis issues arise in studies of long duration, time frames will be defined as 1, 3 and 6months to reflect short-term, medium-term and long-term follow-up, respectively.
Dealing with missing data
Assessment of heterogeneity
Assessment of reporting biases
Data synthesis
Sensitivity analysis
Subgroup analyses
Bph: A Common Part Of Aging
It is common for the prostate gland to become enlarged as a man ages. Doctors call the condition benign prostatic hyperplasia , or benign prostatic hypertrophy.
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Normal urine flow. |
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Urine flow with BPH. |
As a man matures, the prostate goes through two main periods of growth. The first occurs early in puberty, when the prostate doubles in size. At around age 25, the gland begins to grow again. This second growth phase often results, years later, in BPH.
Though the prostate continues to grow during most of a man’s life, the enlargement doesn’t usually cause problems until late in life. BPH rarely causes symptoms before age 40, but more than half of men in their sixties and as many as 90 percent in their seventies and eighties have some symptoms of BPH.
As the prostate enlarges, the layer of tissue surrounding it stops it from expanding, causing the gland to press against the urethra like a clamp on a garden hose. The bladder wall becomes thicker and irritable. The bladder begins to contract even when it contains small amounts of urine, causing more frequent urination. Eventually, the bladder weakens and loses the ability to empty itself. Urine remains in the bladder. The narrowing of the urethra and partial emptying of the bladder cause many of the problems associated with BPH.
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Results Of Individual Studies
All eight included trials measured the International Prostate Symptom Score while two trials measured the Bother Score . By comparison, these trials were classified into one of three groups: 1 acupuncture versus sham acupuncture 2 acupuncture versus alpha-blockers 3 acupuncture versus 5-ARIs .
Three trials compared acupuncture versus sham acupuncture . After an assessment of the heterogeneity, data from these studies were combined for the meta-analysis .
Three trials compared acupuncture versus alpha-blockers with regard to short-term endpoints. No combination could be made because two trials included patients with mild BPH with an IPSS< 8 either in the control group or in both groups these patients should be managed using a strategy of watchful waiting according to the American Urological Association Guideline: Management of BPH . This introduced clinical heterogeneity, which prevented the combination of these studies. One study with a proper definition of severity found better improvement of the IPSS and BS after 4 weeks after, 6 months and 18 months after acupuncture compared with the administration of terazosin hydrochloride tablets .
One study compared acupuncture versus 5-ARIs and measured the IPSS with respect to short-term endpoints . One study compared acupuncture with 5-ARIs and measured the IPSS in terms of medium-term follow-up endpoints . Positive beneficial effects of acupuncture were found in both trials.
Criteria For Considering Studies For This Review
Types of studies
Parallel-group RCTs of acupuncture for BPH without any language or publication status restrictions will be included in this systematic review. Non-RCTs and uncontrolled clinical trials such as case studies will be excluded.
Types of participants
We will include studies investigating men with symptomatic BPH determined by elevated urinary symptom scores including the Boyarsky Score, the American Urologic Association Symptom Index and the IPSS. There will be no restrictions on other diagnostic methods such as urinary flow rates or ultrasound. Patients with diagnoses of other diseases that may cause urinary tract symptoms such as prostatic cancer and neurogenic bladder will be excluded.
Types of interventions
For the treatment group, acupuncture therapy with needle insertion will be considered, including body acupuncture, auricular acupuncture, scalp acupuncture and electroacupuncture. We will also include acupuncture combined with other treatments or medications, such as herbs. Excluded interventions will be any stimulation other than that of a needle, such as acupressure, seed stimulation or surface electrodes.
Types of outcome measures
Adverse events will be recorded including intolerable pain during acupuncture, bleeding during or after the session, breaking or winding of the needles, injury to organs and fainting. The number and severity of adverse events will be recorded.
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Prostatic And Urinary Calculi
Calculi in the urinary tract or prostate can obstruct the outflow of the prostate causing accretion of prostatic fluid. The most common pathology underlying formation of these calculi in Chinese medical terms are chronic damp heat and Kidney yin deficiency. Usually related to diet, the damp heat type results in damp heat sinking into the lower burner, the heat gradually congealing the damp into a hard lump the calculus. In Kidney yin deficiency, fluids are thickened by the dual action of heat from deficiency, and the depletion of their yin portion, gradually congealing into stones.
Can Acupuncture Help Manage Prostatitis
Chronic prostatitis is a relatively frequent ailment. It has a lifetime prevalence rate of 1.8% to 8.2%.
According to experts, chronic pelvic pain syndrome accounts for over 90% of chronic prostatitis cases.
The pain can last at least three months, which can be a problem to deal with.
The question is, can acupuncture treatment deal with pelvic pain? We decided to dig a little deeper and see what research has to say.
This is a detailed guideline of the effects of acupuncture therapy.
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The Acupuncture Worked Better
The researchers tested the patients prostate symptoms using the International Prostate Symptom Score , maximal urine flow rate and residual urine tests.
After three months of treatment, the researchers found that both groups had reductions in symptoms, but the acupuncture group had significantly lower prostate hyperplasia symptoms. Using the scoring mentioned above, the acupuncture group had significantly lower I-PSS scores , higher maximal urine flow scores and lower residual urine scores when compared to the herbal medicine group.
Still the herbal medicine group did have an effective treatment rate of 68.7%. So the herbal treatment did certainly help. But the acupuncture and moxibustion scored even higher, with an 89% effective rate.
Medication And Surgical Treatments
There are several treatment options for an enlarged prostate. You can take alpha-blockers such as terazosin or tamsulosin to help relax the prostate and bladder muscles.
You can also take dutasteride or finasteride , a different kind of medication for reducing BPH symptoms. These block the hormones that cause the prostate to grow.
Combining several types of medications may also be recommended. Your doctor might also recommend surgery to remove the extra prostate tissue. One common surgical procedure for BPH is known as transurethral resection of the prostate .
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Effects Of Electroacupuncture On Benign Prostate Hyperplasia Patients With Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: A Single
Ching-Liang Hsieh
Abstract
We tested the effect of electroacupuncture on lower urinary tract symptoms in benign prostatic hyperplasia patients. A total of 42BPH patients with LUTS were randomly assigned to either the EA group , received 2Hz EA for 20min twice/week for a total of twelve treatments, or a sham EA group , received sham EA. The increase of voiding volume, average flow rate, and maximal flow rate in the EG were mL, mL/sec, and mL/sec, respectively, from baseline value using the measurement of an uroflowmetry. These increases were greater than , , and , respectively, in the CG . The changes of prostate special antigen and international prostatic symptom score were not significantly different between two groups , suggesting the clinical improvement of 2Hz EA was quite limited to the LUTS of patients with BPH.
1. Introduction
2. Material and Methods
2.1. Subjects
2.2. Randomization and Blinding
Forty-two patients were randomized by lottery to the EA group , which received EA, or to the control group , which received sham EA. Each group had 21 subjects .
| Flowchart. |
2.3. Study Design and Sample Size
The present study was a pilot study of a single-blind randomized controlled trial. The sample size was calculated according to Koseoglu et al. and Loh et al. . We predicted a dropout rate of 15% therefore, twenty-one subjects would be sufficient.
2.4. EA
2.5. Outcome Measures
2.6. Statistical Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Basic Characteristics
Acupuncture For A Healthy Prostate
Prostate health might not be at the top of every guys health checklist but its important for men to get checked and get checked early if they have a family history of issues or cancer. And while it isnt talked about very much, there is some promising research showing acupuncture is an effective treatment option for prostate health issues.
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Acupuncture Relieves Prostatitis Symptoms In Study
- By Charlie Schmidt, Editor, Harvard Medical School Annual Report on Prostate Diseases
Prostatitis gets little press, but it’s a common inflammatory condition that accounts for more than two million visits to doctors’ offices in the United States every year. Some cases are caused by bacteria that can be readily detected and treated with antibiotics. But more than 90% of the time, prostatitis symptoms have no obvious cause. This is called chronic nonbacterial prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome, or CP/CPPS. The treatments are varied. Doctors sometimes start with antibiotics if the condition was preceded by a urinary tract infection. They may also recommend anti-inflammatory painkillers, stress-reduction techniques, pelvic floor exercises, and sometimes drugs such as alpha blockers, which relax tight muscles in the prostate and bladder.
Another treatment that can work for some men is acupuncture. A 2018 review article of three published studies found that acupuncture has the potential to reduce CP/CPPS symptoms without the side effects associated with drug treatments.
Now, results from a newly published clinical trial show symptom reductions from acupuncture are long-lasting. Published in the prestigious journal Annals of Internal Medicine, the findings provide encouraging news for CP/CPPS sufferers.
About the Author
Charlie Schmidt, Editor, Harvard Medical School Annual Report on Prostate Diseases
Why It Is Important To Do This Review
There have been some researches which provide evidence for the clinical application of acupuncture for BPH. A clinical study published recently has shown that acupuncture could improve the International Prostate Symptom Score , maximum flow rate and residual urine volume with a treatment course of 3months. A systematic review of acupuncture and moxibustion versus western medicine for BPH was published in 2010. However, its conclusion was uncertain because of the low quality and limited quantity of literature. Also, this systematic review only compared acupuncture and western medicine, which was merely a part of existing interventions for BPH. So evidence needs to be collected and analysed for evaluation of effect and safety of acupuncture for BPH.
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How Will Acupuncture Treat An Enlarged Prostate
I use a combination of acupuncture, herbal medicine, dietary therapy and nutritional supplements to decrease urinary urgency and night urination, stop discomfort and decrease hesitancy. This is done by using the pattern diagnosis mentioned above to treat the symptoms I see before me. There is no one-size-fits-all treatment. Its about treating You the Individual, and the whole you, too. Every treatment is fully customized for your specific constellation of symptoms. And relief awaits.
To make an appointment with me for treatment, please contact me here.
To make an appointment with me for treatment, please go to the Appointments page. If you have further questions, feel free to ask me through the Contact page.
Why Do You Have Prostate Enlargement The Real Causes
There is no actual known cause behind prostate enlargement. There are factors which hamper the cells of the testicles, and aging is another reason that leads to the enlargement of the prostate gland. As the number of cells proliferate, the prostate increases in size.
During the initial phases of prostate enlargement, the bladder muscles thicken and the urine is forced through the narrowed tube of the urethra. This increases the sensitivity of the bladder muscle and forces you to urinate frequently. As the prostate sizes increases and the urethra is squeezed more and more, the bladder problems increase even more.
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What Are The Symptoms Of An Enlarged Prostate
Less than half of all men with an enlarged prostate show symptoms. Those who do have symptoms of BPH, usually have one or more of the following symptoms:
- Urinary dribbling following the end of urination
- Inability to urinate
- Feeling of incomplete urination
- Nocturia, or the need to urinate more than 2 times at night
- Pain with urination or bloody urine
- Slowed or delayed start of the urinary stream
- Strong and sudden urge to urinate
- Weak urine stream
Data Extraction And Managements
Data of variables described in the protocol were assessed and extracted independently by two reviewers . A data extraction form was used to collect data before they were entered into the software of The Cochrane Collaboration Review Manager for calculation of the meta-analysis. We attempted to obtain necessary information by contacting the corresponding authors of the included trials by email when data were missing.
Data of variables included the age of the patients, interventions of the treatment and control groups , as well as primary and secondary outcomes. The type, number and severity of adverse events were also recorded.
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Foods That Are Detrimental To Prostate Health Strike These Off Your Dietary List
Try to include as many anti-inflammatory foods as possible. As far as the foods you must eliminate are concerned, take a look at the following:
Red Meat
Red meat causes inflammation, so you have to forgo your love for the steak as it raises the levels of arachidonic acid in your body, which raises inflammation. You must choose foods such as lean meat and fish, which help reduce the inflammation of the prostate.
A 2006 published study explored the connection between food and BPH symptoms. It is said that eating more eggs and poultry can increase BPH symptoms. So you have to avoid them as much as possible. If you must then eat, then eat the egg whites.
- Processed foods & sugar
Say no to processed stuff, read junk food and takeaways. Refined sugar increases inflammation in your system. Eliminate them from your life and you will be able to boost your prostate health.
Most of us are addicted to caffeine, but too much of anything isnt too good. So limit the consumption of tea, coffee or fizzy drinks, this aids your prostate health. Caffeine has a diuretic effect, and it means you have to go to your loo a great many times. It is difficult for men who have an enlarged prostate to empty their bladders completely and drinking especially late at night can irritate the bladder and increase your urge to go to the toilet.
Dairy
Description Of The Intervention
Acupuncture is a very important part of traditional Chinese medicine with a literary history of more than 2000years. Acupuncture is a therapy that inserts needles into certain points of the body called Xue Wei. Centuries ago, acupuncture was developed into a discipline with its own theory and practice. TCM theorises that acupuncture can strengthen the human body’s vital essence, called Qi, and remove the blockages in channels. Both a WHO report and a National Institutes of Health consensus conference have provided lists of conditions that could be potentially treated with acupuncture.,
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Acupuncture To Improve Prostate Health
According to a clinical trial published in PLOS ONE, electroacupuncture improved International Prostate Symptom Scores on patients. The trial measured improvements in symptoms such as frequent urination, strain and other bladder related complications. The trial found that acupuncture treatment improved these symptoms in patients suffering from benign prostatic hyperplasia, or enlarged prostate. There have been multiple studies that have proven acupuncture helpful. Another Chinese study published in 2008 also found that electroacupuncture had a 96.4 percent rate of effectiveness for treatment.
Symptoms of an enlarged prostate affect about 40 percent of men in their 50s and 90 percent in their 80s, this common problem can be frustrating and painful to experience.Whether you are looking to reduce your risk of prostate disease or treat an existing condition, acupuncture may be able to help.
Prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer among men in the United States with around 290,000 new cases diagnosed each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you are at risk or currently dealing with prostate cancer or prostatitis, you are not alone. It is important to know if prostate cancer runs in your family and if you are at risk, especially if you are a man over 40.
Consider acupuncture as an alternative, safe treatment to reduce symptoms associated with prostate problems and restore your body to better health.