During COVID
The reason I began incorporating prostate massage into my work goes back to a client I met during the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the time, I was running my salon in Gotanda, Tokyo. During the state of emergency, many salons were forced to close temporarily or reduce their opening hours. My salon was no exception. I also had periods of closure and shortened business hours, but continued working whenever possible.
Looking back, I remember seeing more clients than usual who were struggling with physical discomfort, fatigue, and stress. Perhaps it was simply the result of spending so much time at home.
One of them was a client in his late sixties who visited me once or twice a month.
One Client
Some time later, during one of his sessions, after listening to him talk about his urination and noticing the condition of his lower abdomen, I said,
“I’m not a doctor, so I can’t diagnose you. But I wonder if there might be a possibility of an enlarged prostate. It may be worth having it checked by a doctor.”
I should mention that I don’t say this to every client. It was simply my personal impression based on what I had observed over the course of his sessions.
Not long afterwards, during his company’s annual health check, he asked if they could also examine his prostate while performing an ultrasound. He was told that his prostate appeared enlarged.
He later visited a urologist, where he was diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
He started medication, and when he returned the following month, he told me,
“My urination has definitely improved. But I’ve almost completely lost my sex drive, and I no longer get erections.”
He also said that his doctor had explained that the medication could help control the symptoms, but would not completely cure the enlarged prostate itself.
A Hospital Visit
Of course, this was only his personal experience.
Today, several types of medication are commonly prescribed for benign prostatic hyperplasia, depending on the individual’s symptoms and condition.
The most common are alpha-1 blockers, which relax the muscles around the prostate and bladder neck to improve urination, and 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, which gradually reduce the size of the prostate by lowering the effects of dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
These medications improve urinary symptoms for many people, but they may also cause side effects such as dizziness, low blood pressure, reduced libido, erectile dysfunction, or decreased ejaculation. While 5-alpha reductase inhibitors can reduce the size of the prostate to some extent, they do not restore it completely to its original size, and the prostate may enlarge again if the medication is discontinued.
Depending on the individual case, doctors may also combine these medications with other treatments.
A New Beginning
At that time, I was already practising Jab Kasai and Chi Nei Tsang, but I had not yet incorporated prostate massage into my sessions.
I also did not believe that Jab Kasai or Chi Nei Tsang alone could improve benign prostatic hyperplasia itself.
That experience made me genuinely curious. I began wondering what might happen if I included a direct approach to the prostate, so I decided to study prostate massage and gradually incorporate it into my work.
Of course, I am not a doctor. I cannot provide medical treatment, nor can I treat benign prostatic hyperplasia.
For that reason, I asked him to continue seeing his urologist for regular check-ups while receiving sessions from me.
One Year Later
About six months later, he told me that his doctor was surprised to find that his prostate had become smaller than before.
Around a year later, he said that he had been told, “Your prostate is about the size we would expect in someone in their thirties.”
What I Learned
I cannot say that this change was the result of prostate massage alone.
Many factors may have played a part, including lifestyle, body weight, exercise, ageing, and medical treatment.
However, this experience became a turning point for me. It inspired me to learn more about the value of carefully working with the prostate and the surrounding pelvic area.
Not long afterwards, he retired and moved back to Osaka.
The last thing I said to him was,
“Please continue looking after yourself.”
I also encouraged him to maintain the strength of his legs and lower back, stay physically active, and keep a healthy body weight. I believe these are just as important as caring for the pelvic area itself.
Looking Back
In recent years, benign prostatic hyperplasia has become increasingly common in Japan.
Ageing is certainly one factor, but it is also thought to be influenced by a combination of others, including lack of exercise, obesity, and changes in lifestyle.
Traditionally, the Japanese diet was centred around rice, grains, vegetables, soy products, seaweed, and seafood.
Today, however, the consumption of meat and dietary fat has increased considerably. It is possible that these changes in eating habits may also have some influence on our health. That said, research in this area is still ongoing, and it would be an oversimplification to say that meat itself is the cause.
Looking back, this experience became the starting point of my journey. It shaped the way I approach my work today and inspired me to continue learning about the body, the pelvis, and the prostate with curiosity and respect.