Every Chinese New Year season spells trouble for the prostate. During the holiday, men often indulge their bodies after a year of hard work—drinking, mahjong, and internet use all place heavy burdens on the prostate.
While festive gatherings inevitably involve drinking and merriment, the prostate suffers as a result.In previous years, hospital visits for prostatitis surged by 20% to 30% after the Spring Festival, primarily due to excessive drinking during the holiday. We often encountered patients who drank heavily during the festivities and then sought treatment for urinary difficulties afterward. Some were young men who, suffering from the discomfort of holding their urine, worried they might have kidney problems when they came in for help.
In reality, the male prostate is highly sensitive to alcohol. "Once alcohol enters the body, it is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream. Under its influence, the prostate's capillaries dilate and become engorged, causing cellular edema that gradually enlarges the prostate."During the Spring Festival, many people attend consecutive banquets and consume large amounts of alcohol. After heavy drinking, the prostate gradually becomes "intoxicated" and increasingly "swollen," eventually occupying space in the urethra and causing symptoms like a split or weakened urine stream. The swollen prostate can also compress and stretch the nerve endings around it, leading to a heavy, aching sensation in the lower abdomen and perineum, as well as testicular pain.For those with pre-existing prostatitis or benign prostatic hyperplasia, this can easily trigger frequent urination, urgency, lower back pain, fatigue, or even urinary retention."While a person may sober up within hours, the prostate remains 'intoxicated' as long as the leaked tissue fluid persists. It won't 'sober up' until three to five days have passed," experts explain. Consequently, many men experience persistent urinary difficulties long after their hangover subsides, with some enduring months of discomfort.
While festive gatherings during the Spring Festival inevitably involve drinking and merrymaking, the prostate often suffers as a result. Men should learn to protect their prostate during this season and avoid frequent alcohol consumption and heavy meat-based meals!