Home Remedies for Enlarged Prostate

An enlarged prostate can cause all kinds of problems: a burning sensation, frequent urination, interruption of sleep, decline in sexual interest and activity, and in some cases, even sitting can be uncomfortable. Conventional medicine and surgery may bring some relief, but not without the dangers of incontinence and impotence. There are a few remedies you can do yourself at home that have been found to be safe and effective in reducing the size of the prostate and decreasing the symptoms of having an enlarged prostate with no side effects.

Growing Process

• Benign prostatic hypertrophy or BPH, an enlarged prostate, is just the natural result of the aging process. The prostrate surrounds the urethra, the tube carrying urine from the bladder. As you grow older, the change in glandular secretions causes small gristly nodules to develop on the prostate gland. As the cells in these nodules multiply and grow, they cause the prostate to swell, become stiff, inflexible and expand from the gland's normal walnut-size to golf-ball size, or even larger-- constricting the urethra.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of BPH vary widely, but the most common complaint is a weak urinary stream. You are likely to have a tremendous urge to urinate, yet you can only manage a weak stream. This urge is so intense it can waken you several times a night, yet you can never completely empty your bladder as many times as you try. There is rarely any pain. You will see no lumps or swellings on the pubic areas, because the prostate gland is deep within the lower abdomen. On occasion, there may be traces of blood in the urine.

Complications

• Serious urinary problems caused by this disorder affect one in 10 males olderthan 60. BPH by itself, is not a life-threatening, but it can lead to three more serious conditions:

  First, if the bladder is never entirely emptied, the stagnant urine inside it can become infected. This infection can back up into the bladder and ureter, the tube that carries urine from the kidneys to the bladder--and cause a painful inflammatory condition known as cystitis.

  Second, increased pressure within the bladder caused by the blocked urine, can cause an even more serious condition in the kidneys known as "acute pyelonephritis."

  And finally, if the enlarged prostate condition remains untreated, although rare, you can lose total control over the muscles that allow the release of urine. This is called "acute retention," and if left untreated, can eventually lead to kidney failure.

Home remedies

• Your food should consist of healthy, non-spicy foods with emphasis on almond nuts and especially the raw seeds from pumpkin, squash, sun flower and sesame. All these are high-protein, rich in unsaturated fatty acids, and contain zinc--all essential for good prostrate health. Eat plenty of raw vegetables, fruits and fresh juices. For cooking oils, use sunflower, sesame or virgin olive oil because of their content of fatty acids, lecithin, brewer's yeast and vitamin E. Avoid coffee, alcohol and strong spices--all contributors to prostate inflammation.

  One to two hours of walking a day also keeps the prostate in good shape. Your sexual practices also have a great influence over the health of the prostate. Sexual excitation without the natural conclusion of orgasm can lead to engorgement of the prostate and may cause functional and even structural damage. Avoid deliberate prolongation or suppression of orgasms. Do not abstain from sex for long periods. Develop a sexual regularity between you and your partner. And should you ever become sexually excited--forget the cold shower--take a hot sitz bath instead. In fact, daily hot sitz baths are just about the only way you can "bathe" the prostate. The warmth will radiate through your bottom, reach the gland and reduce the inflammation.