The prostate is a gland that is part of a man's sex organs and surrounds the tube called the urethra, located just below the urinary bladder.

A healthy prostate is approximately the size of a walnut. The prostate glands are found only in males; females do not possess prostate glands. Skene's glands in females are homologous to the prostate gland in males.

The male urethra has two functions: to carry urine from the bladder during urination and to carry semen during ejaculation. Semen is composed of sperm and seminal fluid produced by the prostate gland.

To work properly, the prostate needs male hormones (androgens). Male hormones are responsible for male sex characteristics. The main male hormone is testosterone, which is produced mainly by the testicles. Some male hormones are produced in small amounts by the adrenal glands.

Disorders of the prostate

Inflammation of the prostate gland is known as prostatitis ( Because women do not have a prostate gland, it is a condition only found in men).

If the prostate grows too large it may constrict the urethra and impede the flow of urine, making urination difficult and painful and in extreme cases completely impossible. Prostatitis is often treated in the with prostate massage. Surgery to repair this condition is sometimes necessary.

Prostatitis may account for up to 25 percent of all office visits by young and middle-age men for complaints involving the genital and urinary systems. The term prostatitis actually encompasses four disorders:

Acute bacterial prostatitis is the least common of the four types but also the easiest to diagnose and treat effectively. Men with this disease often have chills, fever, pain in the lower back and genital area, urinary frequency and urgency often at night, burning or painful urination, body aches, and a demonstrable infection of the urinary tract, as evidenced by white blood cells and bacteria in the urine. It is treated with an appropriate antibiotic.

Chronic bacterial prostatitis is also relatively uncommon. It is acute prostatitis associated with an underlying defect in the prostate, a focal point for bacterial persistence in the urinary tract. Effective treatment usually requires identifying and removing the defect and then treating the infection with antibiotics. However, antibiotics often do not cure it.

Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome is the most common but least understood form of the disease. It is found in men of any age; symptoms go away and then return without warning. Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome may be inflammatory or noninflammatory. In the inflammatory form, urine, semen, and other fluids from the prostate show no evidence of a known infecting organism. In the noninflammatory form, no evidence of inflammation, including infection-fighting cells, is present.

Asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis is the diagnosis when the patient does not complain of pain or discomfort but has infection-fighting cells in his semen. Doctors usually find this form of prostatitis when looking for causes of infertility or testing for prostate cancer.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

a. Chinese herbology, Acupuncture and related therapies could relieve the pain, clean up the urination and improve the Qi and blood of the kidney.
b. A period of the treatment is necessary for the recovery.
c. Internal and external treatment are both important.
d. Change the bad sexual and life style could enhance the immune system.

Healing by other TCM Therapies/Tips

(a) Qigong

Generally speaking, Qigong is good for healing effect of this specific ailment, however individual results may vary. It improves the flow of the qi and the circulation of the blood, so you'll experience more energy, but, you won't see/ feel any immediate effects, as with many exercises and therapies, it takes a few weeks or even months of practice before you'll see any significant improvements.

(b) Medicated diet

Anemarrhena Rhizome 15g, Phelledendron Bark 15g, Coix Seed 30g, Pork 2 pounds, 3 liters of water. Cook them as the soup for a week supply; Take it once or twice day.

(c) Life style

1) Reduce the frequency of sex, when necessary, as much as you can so as to avoid the swollen and hyperemia of the prostate.
2) Drink 6-7 cups of water to clean up the urination.
3) Wear loose short or long pants.
4) Daily exercise will break down the channels' blockage on the lower body

Bibliografy:

http://www.healthphone.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostatitis