Acupuncture is effective for bladder pain syndrome

Interstitial cystitis (IC), painful bladder syndrome (PBS), and bladder pain syndrome (BPS) are all terms for the same chronic condition. It is a challenge to diagnose and treat the condition. Acupuncture had impact on increasing the maximum cystometric bladder capacity as well as suppressing the bladder contraction in patients with detrusor overactivity and on relieving the chronic pelvic pain. It also has impact on inhibit transmission of pain as well as to normalize sensory processing within the peripheral and/or central nervous systems.

A recent research has investigated the effect of acupuncture for the treatment of bladder pain, urinary freaquency and urgency caused by interstitial cystitis.

In this study 10 patients (1 male, 9 females) suffering from the symptoms due to interstitial cystitis were treated by acupuncture. The treatment was repeated once a week for 4 weeks for the initial treatment (1st to 4th acupuncture). All patients recorded a frequency volume chart as well as IPSS-QOL questionnaire for 1 week before treatment as a baseline, and again after the 4th acupuncture. All patients with complaining of pain recorded visual analogue scale of pain for 1 week before treatment as a baseline, and again after the 4th acupuncture. Acupuncture has improved the clinical symptoms of urinary frequency and urgency and QOL scores, accompanied with increase of bladder capacity as well as with possible inhibition of the sensitivity of C-fiber dysfunction. This study suggested that acupuncture is a safe promising therapeutic alternative for the difficult-to-treat patients with overactive bladder and/or suspicious pelvic pain syndrome.

References
https://www.ics.org/Abstracts/Publish/43/000541.pdf