Prostatitis — TCM Food Therapy & Dietary Approach

Prostatitis is a common condition in older adults.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Patterns

In TCM, this condition is differentiated into several patterns, each with a classical herbal formula:

Heat Strangury

Treatment principle: Clear Heat and Drain Damp to Unblock Strangury

Formula: Bazheng San (Eight-Herb Powder for Rectification) — from *Formulary of the Bureau of the People's Welfare Pharmacies*

Stone Strangury

Treatment principle: Clear Heat and Drain Damp, Expel Stones and Unblock Strangury

Formula: Shiwei San (Pyrrosia Powder) — from *Arcane Essentials from the Imperial Library*

Blood Strangury

Treatment principle: Clear Heat and Unblock Strangury, Cool Blood and Stop Bleeding

Formula: Xiaoji Yinzi (Field Thistle Drink) — from *Formulas to Aid the Living*

Qi Strangury

Treatment principle: Regulate Qi and Dispel Stagnation, Unblock Strangury and Promote Urination

Formula: Chenxiang San (Agarwood Powder) — from *Jin Gui Yi*

Chylous Strangury

Treatment principle: Clear Heat and Drain Damp, Separate the Clear and Discharge the Turbid

Formula: Chengshi Bixie Fenqing Yin (Cheng's Dioscorea Decoction to Separate the Clear) — from *Yi Xue Xin Wu*

Overstrain Strangury

Treatment principle: Supplement the Spleen and Benefit the Kidney

Formula: Wubi Shanyao Wan (Incomparable Dioscorea Pill) — from *Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold for Emergencies*

Damp-Heat in the Bladder

Treatment principle: Clear and Drain Damp-Heat, Unblock Urination

Formula: Bazheng San (Eight-Herb Powder for Rectification) — from *Formulary of the Bureau of the People's Welfare Pharmacies*

Exuberant Lung Heat

Treatment principle: Clear and Drain Lung Heat, Unblock the Water Passages

Formula: Qingfei Yin (Clear the Lung Drink) — from *Zheng Zhi Hui Bu*

Liver Depression and Qi Stagnation

Treatment principle: Regulate Qi and Resolve Depression, Unblock Urination

Formula: Chenxiang San (Agarwood Powder) — from *Jin Gui Yi*

Turbid Stasis Obstruction

Treatment principle: Move Stasis and Dissipate Masses, Unblock the Water Passages

Formula: Dai Didang Wan (Substitute for Didang Pill) — from *Standards of Diagnosis and Treatment*

Spleen Qi Failing to Rise

Treatment principle: Raise the Clear and Descend the Turbid, Transform Qi and Move Water

Formula: Buzhong Yiqi Tang (Tonify the Middle and Augment Qi Decoction) — from *The Theory of Internal and External Injuries*; Chunze Tang (Spring Pond Decoction) — from *Zheng Zhi Yao Jue Lei Fang*

Debilitation of Kidney Yang

Treatment principle: Warm and Supplement Kidney Yang, Transform Qi and Promote Diuresis

Formula: Jisheng Shenqi Wan (Jisheng Kidney Qi Pill) — from *Formulas to Aid the Living*

These formulas are for reference under TCM syndrome differentiation and should only be used under the guidance of a qualified practitioner.

Food Therapy & Diet

Dietary Therapy Recipes

Sugarcane Juice: Peel 500g sugarcane, cut into small sections and extract the juice; drink twice daily, with the same effect as above.
Fresh Grape Drink: Peel and pit 250g fresh grapes, mash them, add an appropriate amount of warm water and drink; 1-2 times daily for 2 weeks. Treats prostatitis and short, dark-red, painful urination.
Rostellularia and Jujube Decoction: Wash and chop 100g fresh rostellularia herb (half the amount if dried), decoct with 30g jujubes in 1000ml water down to about 400ml, drink the juice and eat the dates, in 2 divided doses daily. Treats chronic prostatitis.
Bayberry Drink: Pit and mash 60g bayberries, mix with 250ml warm water and drink; twice daily for 2 months. Treats prostatitis and painful urination.
Kiwi Fruit Drink: Mash 50g kiwi fruit, mix with 250ml warm water and drink; take for 2 weeks.
Royal Jelly Solution: Dissolve an appropriate amount of royal jelly in boiled water to make a 1% solution; take 20-30ml orally twice daily over a long period. For chronic prostatitis, post-illness debility and malnutrition.
Mallow Leaf Soup: Wash an appropriate amount of mallow leaves, boil and add a little starch to make a thick soup, season with salt and MSG; take twice daily on an empty stomach. Anti-inflammatory and detoxifying, clears heat and drains dampness; for chronic prostatitis.

Understanding the Condition

Prostatitis is a common condition in older adults. In TCM it is attributed to kidney deficiency and impaired qi transformation of the bladder. Dietary therapy should therefore favor nutritious foods that boost qi and benefit the kidney, while avoiding stimulating foods as well as warm, hot, and greasy foods.

This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.