Photography by Michael Heiko (digital rendering: John Corbitt)
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Get Well Soon
By Stephen Rae, January & February 2005
Here are some time-tested, do-it-yourself strategies for easing the agonizing symptoms of prostatitis
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Watch what you eat
Alcohol, caffeine, and spicy foods are known urogenital tract irritants, but
highly acidic foods can be just as bad. Drinking cranberry juice for its
purported urinary benefits can be like throwing kerosene on a fire. Citrus
fruits, sugar, and saccharine are other common triggers. Log your food intake
for a week to find yours.
Apply heat
Hot baths at least twice a day bring relief. "You need to get to about
105 degrees for 20 minutes," says Rodney Anderson, M.D., a Stanford School
of Medicine urology professor.
Stand up
As much as possible, get off your butt. The blood supply to the prostate is
bad enough without cutting it off by sitting on it. Work standing if you can.
Avoid sitting on hard surfaces, including hard bicycle seats. Use a doughnut
cushion of the kind sold in drugstores and on prostatitis websites.
Slow down
There's evidence that stress can play a role by releasing proteins that
spark inflammation. Combat stress with meditation, hypnosis, or anything that
helps you relax.
Have fun
This tip is a bit controversial, but some experts say frequent ejaculation
may alleviate symptoms by dislodging dug-in bacteria.
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