Prostate cancer is a slow growing malignant tumour of the prostate gland. Risk factors for this condition include advancing age, genetics and hormonal factors, and exposure to environmental pollutants such as toxins, chemicals, and industrial waste products. Symptoms of this condition are usually seen only in the advanced state and include diminished flow of urine, burning urination, blood in the urine, and later on, other symptoms like back pain, pain in the lower abdomen, jaundice, chest pain, and other symptoms related to pressure symptoms of the disease. The modern management prostate cancer includes observation, surgery, radiation and hormonal therapy, and cryotherapy.
Ayurvedic herbal treatment for prostate cancer is aimed at treating the primary tumour, preventing its spread to other parts of the body, treating the symptoms, and giving further treatment to prevent a recurrence of the condition. Ayurvedic herbal medicines which have a specific action on the urinary tract as well as the prostate are used in high doses in order to treat the prostate cancer and kill the cancer cells, without harming other normal cells. Dead cells and debris from the growth are flushed out through the urinary tract with the use of specific herbal medicines. Ayurvedic medicines which have a general action on the uncontrolled growth of cells are also used in addition to the above-mentioned herbal medicines. With aggressive therapy, the prostate cancer can usually be treated in a span of four to six months.
Ayurvedic herbal medicines which act on the blood as well as on the lymphatic circulation are used in order to kill cancer cells present in the circulation. If there is any known metastasis of the disease, treatment is given specifically according to the organ involved. In addition, in order to completely treat and cure the cancer, herbal immunomodulatory agents are also used to boost the immune status of the affected individual, so that the body can fight against the tumour and overcome it.
Ayurvedic herbal treatment can thus be utilised in the management and treatment of prostate cancer.
The writer, Dr. A. A. Mundewadi, is available as an online Ayurvedic Consultant at www.ayurvedaphysician.com
