Deep electrical acupuncture at Zhongliao most effectively reduced overactive bladder activity in rats compared with shallow stimulation and other tested points.
Researchers induced overactive bladder symptoms in rats using acetic acid, then assigned them to untreated, deep or shallow Zhongliao stimulation, nearby non-point stimulation, or stimulation at Weizhong, Sanyinjiao, Tongtian, or Hegu. They assessed bladder function before and after treatment by measuring the interval between bladder contractions, urination duration, and peak bladder muscle pressure.
Deep stimulation at Zhongliao produced the strongest lengthening of intervals between bladder contractions, indicating greater suppression of bladder overactivity than the other interventions. It also shortened urination duration and increased peak bladder muscle pressure, although these latter changes were not clearly superior to those achieved with the other acupuncture-point treatments.
