Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine for the management of a 35-year-old man with chronic prostatitis with chronic pelvic pain syndrome

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this case report is to describe the resolution of pain in a patient with chronic prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome after receiving a course of management using acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. CLINICAL FEATURES: A 35-year-old man presented with chronic prostatitis with chronic pelvic pain syndrome. He scored 38 out of a possible 43 on the National Institutes of Health/Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH/CPSI) that rates pain, urinary symptoms, and quality of life impact, indicating severe symptoms. The patient had experienced recurrent episodes of nonbacterial prostatitis over a 3-year period, and this was the most severe. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME: After 8 acupuncture treatments over an 8-week period and daily use of Ba Zheng San and Yi Guan Jian, the patient scored his symptoms 9 on the NIH/CPSI. The patient was then put on a supportive anti-inflammatory regimen of green tea. He rated his symptoms 4 on the NIH/CPSI 4 months later, 2 on the NIH/CPSI 8 months later, and 0 on the NIH/CPSI 1 year later. CONCLUSION: This case demonstrated that the patient experienced long-lasting relief from chronic prostatitis with chronic pelvic pain syndrome after a course of 8 treatments of acupuncture and Chinese herbs.