Electroacupuncture improved overactive bladder symptoms and quality of life more effectively than standard medication, potentially by influencing nerve-related bladder signalling.
In a blinded randomized controlled trial, women with overactive bladder were assigned to receive either electroacupuncture at bladder and spleen meridian points several times weekly or the antimuscarinic medicine tolterodine. Researchers assessed urinary urgency, symptom severity, quality of life, treatment safety, acceptability, and urinary inflammatory and nerve-related biomarkers during treatment and follow-up.
Both treatments improved urgency and quality of life, while electroacupuncture produced earlier quality-of-life improvement and a higher overall treatment response than medication. Electroacupuncture was well tolerated, caused little discomfort, and was widely accepted. Changes in urinary brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels also suggest that its benefits may involve altered neural regulation of bladder function.
