Electro-acupuncture (EA) can help ease stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women, suggests a study from China. In a multi-centre randomised clinical trial, 504 women with SUI were randomly assigned to receive 18 sessions of EA (at lumbosacral acupoints) or sham EA (non-penetrating needling of non-acupoints). At the end of six weeks of treatment, EA showed a clear benefit over sham, with significantly less urine leakage and fewer diary reports of episodes of stress incontinence. The benefits of EA versus sham were maintained at six month follow up. The authors also note that while the safety and effects of EA for...Weiterlesen

Despite some allegations to the contrary (e.g. ‚man flu‘), it is generally accepted that men tend to suffer in silence, being reluctant to discuss health problems with friends, family or the medical profession. It is not surprising therefore that the facts about chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) in men are not better known. It is thought that up to 10% of men aged between 20 and 74 years have characteristic symptoms which can vary in frequency and intensity from intermittent and mild to severe and permanent. The key symptom is pain although there can be a constellation of other symptoms....Weiterlesen

Investigators based in Norway have explored the correlation between choice of acupoints and the recurrence rate of cystitis among cystitis-prone women receiving acupuncture as a prophylactic treatment. Fifty-eight cystitis-prone women were included in the analysis. Acupuncture treatments, given twice a week for four weeks, were customised based on patients’ TCM pattern diagnoses, and patients were followed up over a six-month period. The main acupoints used for patients with Kidney qi/yang deficiency were Shenshu BL-23, Taixi KID-3, Zhongji REN-3, Sanyinjiao SP-6 and Pangguangshu BL-28; for Liver qi stagnation, Taichong LIV-3, Zhongji REN-3, Pangguangshu BL-28, Yinlingquan SP-9 and Sanyinjiao SP-6 were used;...Weiterlesen

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the analgesic effect and tolerance profile of acupuncture versus intravenous (IV) titrated morphine in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with renal colic. Materials and methods: A total of 115 patients were randomized into two groups. Patients in the IV titrated-morphine group (n=61) received 0.1 mg/kg morphine every 5 minutes until pain score dropped by at least 50% of its baseline value. Patients in the acupuncture group (n=54) received an acupuncture session of 30 minutes following a prespecified protocol. The visual analog scale (VAS) was used to assess pain intensity...Weiterlesen

Researchers find acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine effective for the alleviation of urinary retention caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition often referred to as enlargement of the prostate gland. Benign prostatic hyperplasia often leads to bladder, kidney, and urinary tract disorders. The prostate enlargement may block the flow of urine and cause discomfort or urinary retention. Common symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia include weak urine flow or a stream of urine that starts and stops. Dribbling towards the end of urination or the incomplete emptying of the bladder are also common. There may be difficulty initiating urination, frequent...Weiterlesen

A Norwegian pilot study suggests that acupuncture may be more effective for preventing urinary incontinence than pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT). Thirty-four women with incontinence were randomly assigned to receive either 12 sessions of acupuncture, 12 sessions of PFMT, or to a waiting list control group for 12 weeks. The acupuncture points used were semi-standardised, with alternation between front and back points. Zhongji REN-3, Guanyuan REN-4, Qihai REN-6, Sanyinjiao SP-6, Taixi KID-3 and Fuliu KID-7 were used with patients in a supine position, and Neiguan P-6, Taichong LIV-3 and Taibai SP-3 were added based on specific symptoms. Shangliao BL-31 to...Weiterlesen

In a prospective study, we investigated the potentially curative effect of acupuncture in patients with psychogenic erectile dysfunction (pED). A total of 22 patients with pED were randomized into two groups. They were either treated with acupunture specific against ED (treatment group) or acupuncture specific against headache (placebo group). Nonresponders of the placebo group were crossed over to the treatment group. Prior to acupuncture, serum sexual hormone levels, IIEF score, nocturnal penile tumescence testing for three nights (Rigiscan) and the erectile response to 50mg sildenafil were evaluated. Out of 21 patients, 20 completed the study, including 10 patients after crossover....Weiterlesen

Acupuncture improves renal function markers in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to research from Taiwan. Fifty nine patients with CKD were randomised into acupuncture and sham treatment groups. In the acupuncture group, manual acupuncture was applied to bilateral Hegu L.I.-4, Zusanli ST-36 and Taixi KID-3 to obtain qi, and electroacupuncture (2 Hz) was applied to two acupoint pairs (right Zusanli ST-36 and Taixi KID-3 and left Zusanli ST-36 and Taixi KID-3) once per week for 12 weeks. In the sham group, needles were inserted 1.5 cm lateral to the acupoints, and no electrical stimulation was applied. Levels of serum creatinine...Weiterlesen

A Chinese study has found that electro-acupuncture (EA) at a single point, Zhongliao BL-33, could significantly reduce the symptoms of enlarged prostate in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). A total of 100 men with moderate to severe BPH were randomly allocated either to a treatment group who received EA at Zhongliao BL-33, or a control group who received EA at a nearby non-acupoint. Patients received 16 acupuncture sessions; five in the first and second weeks and three in the third and fourth weeks. Six weeks from baseline, treatment group patients showed a significantly greater decline in prostate symptom scores...Weiterlesen

A Korean pilot study suggests that acupuncture can help with symptom management in patients undergoing haemodialysis. Twenty-four patients received individualised acupuncture treatment for their symptoms twice a week for six consecutive weeks. Patients experienced a significant improvement of symptoms they considered most bothersome, reporting a decrease of 1.87 and 2.08 points on a 0-6 symptom scale at 7 weeks and 11 weeks, respectively. Disease-related symptom scores showed significant improvement at 7 weeks (effects of kidney disease, burden of kidney disease, role-limitations physical, emotional well-being, and energy/fatigue) and 11 weeks (physical functioning and energy/fatigue). (Acupuncture for symptom management in hemodialysis patients:...Weiterlesen