Insights & Discussion
Current evidence supports acupuncture as an effective treatment for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome-induced symptoms, particularly in relieving pain.
Real acupuncture was superior to sham acupuncture in improving symptoms (pain, voiding) and quality of life (Qof) domain subscores. Compared to sham acupuncture and medicine, acupuncture appears to be more effective at improving the global assessment. Two trials found that there is no significant difference between acupuncture and sham acupuncture in decreasing the IPSS score. Acupuncture failed to show more favorable effects in improving both symptoms and the Qof domain compared with medicine. Overall, current evidence supports acupuncture as an effective treatment for CP/CPPS-induced symptoms, particularly in relieving pain. Based on the meta-analysis, acupuncture is superior to sham acupuncture in improving symptoms and Qof. Acupuncture might be similar to medicine (Levofloxacinand, Ibuprofen, and Tamsulosin) in its long-term effects, but evidence was limited due to high ROB among included trials as well as potential heterogeneity. Acupuncture is associated with rare and slightly adverse events.
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Acupuncture can effectively improve the post voided residual urine, maximal cystometric capacity, and bladder capacity for first voiding desire values of patients with urinary retention after hysterectomy.
2021 Medicine Efficacy and safety of acupuncture for urinary retention after hysterectomy Zhao Q, Yan C, Dan M, Jia H
Systematic Review Bladder Conditions Hysterectomy Urinary Retention
There is insufficient evidence that acupuncture can increase the patient's MFR, BR, and UIR. However, acupuncture can effectively improve the PVR, maximal cystometric capacity, and bladder capacity for first voiding desire values of patients with urinary retention after hysterectomy. Although limited due to the quality and methodological limitations of the included studies, acupuncture can still be used as an effective and safe treatment for women with urinary retention after hysterectomy.
Acupuncture appeared to be beneficial for treatment and prophylaxis of recurrent urinary tract infections.
2020 BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology Acupuncture for recurrent urinary tract infection in women: a systematic review and meta‐analysis Qin X, Coyle ME, Yang L, Liang J, Wang K, Guo X, et al.
Systematic Review Bladder Conditions Urinary Tract Infection Women's Health
Five RCTs involving 341 participants were included. Methodological quality of studies and strength of the evidence were low to moderate. The chance of achieving a composite cure with acupuncture therapies was greater than that with antibiotics. The risk of UTI recurrence was lower with acupuncture than with no treatment and sham acupuncture.
Acupuncture appeared to be beneficial for treatment and prophylaxis of recurrent urinary tract infections, noting the limitations of the current evidence. Given the growing challenge of antibiotic resistance, there is a need for high-quality RCTs of non-pharmacological interventions such as acupuncture.
Acupuncture might have effect in decreasing the number of micturition episodes, incontinence episodes, and nocturia episodes.
2018 Medicine Acupuncture for adults with overactive bladder Zhao Y, Zhou J, Mo Q, Wang Y, Yu J, Liu Z
Systematic Review Bladder Conditions Overactive Bladder
According to the results of meta-analysis, acupuncture might have effect in decreasing the number of micturition episodes, incontinence episodes, and nocturia episodes. However, the evidence is insufficient to show the effect using acupuncture alone or the additional effect to drugs in treating OAB. Nevertheless, acupuncture is comparatively with few adverse reactions and safe. In the future, studies with high methodological quality and larger sample sizes are required.
Acupuncture may be recommended for the treatment of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome with relatively rare incidence of adverse events.
2016 Scientific Reports Network Meta-Analysis of the Efficacy of Acupuncture, Alpha-blockers and Antibiotics on Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome Qin, Z., Wu, J., Tian, J. et al.
Systematic Review Bladder Conditions
Based on decreases in the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) score, a network meta-analysis indicated that electro-acupuncture, acupuncture, alpha-blockers, antibiotics, and dual therapy are superior to placebo in decreasing this score. Additionally, electro-acupuncture and dual therapy were more effective than alpha-blockers in decreasing the total NIH-CPSI total score. Other network meta-analyses did not show significant differences between interventions other placebo. The incidence of adverse events of acupuncture was relatively rare (5.4%) compared with placebo (17.1%), alpha-blockers (24.9%), antibiotics (31%) and dual therapy (48.6%). Overall, rank tests and safety analyses indicate that electro-acupuncture/acupuncture may be recommended for the treatment of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.
We cautiously suggest that acupuncture therapy could demonstrate better clinical efficacy than pharmacological treatment or placebo treatment in treating nocturnal enuresis.
2015 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Efficacy of Acupuncture in Children with Nocturnal Enuresis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials Lv ZT, Song W, Wu J, et al.
Systematic Review Bedwetting Bladder Conditions Children's Health
In summary, the results of this study suggest that acupuncture therapy demonstrate better clinical efficacy than pharmacological treatment or placebo treatment in treating NE. Due to the low methodological qualities of included trials, the findings of current study should be interpreted with caution. Therefore, to further assess the potential beneficial effect of acupuncture therapy for NE, additional RCTs with rigorous experimental design, large-scale high quality methodological control, long follow-ups, and strict reporting specification are required.
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