When Should Men Take Western Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prostatitis Treatment?

Prostatitis is a clinical manifestation of pain or discomfort in the pelvic region and abnormal urination due to prostate gland infections by pathogenic bacteria and stimulation by certain non-infectious factors. Prostatitis is a common disease in adult men, and the prevalence is higher in adult men under 50. Some data show that prostatitis patients account for 8% to 25% of urology outpatients, and pathogenesis and pathophysiological changes are unclear.

Prostatitis can lead to urinary tract irritation symptoms, and the patient's sexual function can be affected. In severe cases, it can lead to sexual dysfunction, such as premature ejaculation and impotence.

Prostatitis can affect normal work and life, and cause symptoms such as pain in the perineum and difficulty in urination. When there is incomplete urination and dripping urine, the patient's daytime work and life will be affected, leaving the patient irritable.

Since prostatitis is close to the testicles and epididymis, if left untreated, the inflammation will spread to these areas, leading to epididymal inflammation, seminal vesicle inflammation, inflammation of the vas deferens, etc. If not treated in time, prostatitis will cause health problems. 

When it comes to treating prostatitis, should men choose Western Medicine or traditional Chinese Medicine?

Prostatitis is clinically divided into chronic bacterial and non-bacterial prostatitis, and specific circumstances require specific analysis. The choice of traditional herbs and Western Medicine are as follows:

1. Chronic bacterial prostatitis: it is caused by bacterial infection. Patients usually recover quickly after standardized, systematic antibiotic treatment. Whether taking TCM or Western Medicine, as long as the diagnosis is precise, standardized antibiotic treatment can also be carried out. Therefore, both traditional herbs and Western Medicine are available;

2. Chronic non-bacterial prostatitis: if the symptom performance of urinary frequency, urinary urgency, urinary pain or swelling, pain and discomfort in the areas of the lower abdomen, perineum, scrotum and other pelvic areas is mild, traditional herbal medicine can be chosen, such as Diuretic and Anti-inflammatory Pill, which has a better outcome. 

If the clinical symptoms of chronic non-bacterial prostatitis are severe, patients choose herbal medicine for treatment. Many related studies in traditional herbs have shown that the main TCM pathogenesis of chronic non-bacterial prostatitis is a damp-heat blockage. A better treatment effect can also be achieved through evidence-based treatment and active medication.

The outcome for acute prostatitis is better. The majority of patients can recover completely, but a few turn chronic. The result for chronic prostatitis is more difficult to judge the efficacy of medication for chronic prostatitis, with a cure rate of up to 50% for long-term treatment. The symptom improvement rate is 25%. The rest cannot be cured for more than 1 year to cure. 

Chronic prostatitis is prone to recurring attacks and is difficult to heal. However, some patients with prostatitis do not receive systematic treatment and can heal independently. The main reason is that the prostate fluid has a certain antibacterial effect, and those patients have regular prostate massage drainage. The following issues should be noted during the treatment of chronic prostatitis:

1. Establish the confidence to overcome the disease. Although the course of the disease is long and easy to relapse, chronic prostatitis is not incurable and can be cured after comprehensive treatment.

2. Pay attention to life and living. Patients should develop good habits; prevent excessive fatigue; prevent colds; prohibit smoking and alcohol, and avoid spicy and stimulating diets. Patients should cycle less and not sit in a humid place; it is necessary to restrain sexual life, neither too frequent nor abstinence.

3. Develop hobbies and interests, carry out appropriate physical exercises to shift the psychological burden of chronic prostatitis, and eliminate anxiety and prevent mental symptoms.

As long as you pay attention to the above issues, cooperate with doctors closely, and adopt a good combination of TCM and Western Medicine combined with physiotherapy and necessary psychological treatment, prostatitis will be cured.

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