Related Experiment Videos
Bladder instability and enuresis treated by acupuncture and electro-therapeutics: early urodynamic observations
1Dept. of Pediatric Urology, Ospedale Bambino Gesú, Vatican Hospital Rome, Italy.
Insights
Acupuncture may help treat childhood enuresis by reducing uninhibited bladder contractions. This study found that acupuncture temporarily increased, then significantly decreased, these contractions, leading to improved enuresis symptoms in most children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Urology
- Integrative Medicine
Background:
- Childhood enuresis is often linked to bladder instability and detrusor muscle overactivity.
- Uninhibited bladder contractions can lead to symptoms like enuresis, urinary frequency, and urgency.
- Urodynamic testing is crucial for diagnosing bladder dysfunction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of acupuncture on uninhibited bladder contractions in children with enuresis.
- To assess the clinical efficacy of acupuncture in managing enuresis associated with bladder instability.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 20 children diagnosed with enuresis and bladder instability.
- Urodynamic testing performed on 11 participants before and after acupuncture sessions.
- Observation of detrusor muscle activity and enuresis symptoms over a 24-hour period post-acupuncture.
Main Results:
- Acupuncture initially increased detrusor muscle contractions in 16 out of 20 children.
- These contractions significantly decreased within 60 minutes and were nearly absent at 24 hours.
- Clinically, 11 children experienced complete enuresis elimination, with 7 showing improvement.
Conclusions:
- Acupuncture demonstrates potential efficacy in suppressing uninhibited bladder contractions.
- The findings suggest acupuncture may be a viable treatment for enuresis related to bladder instability.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the precise therapeutic mechanisms of acupuncture in this context.
Abstract:
The authors report the results of a study on 20 children suffering from a particular type of enuresis, associated with bladder instability, characterized by uninhibited contractions of the detrusor muscle. The children selected showed symptoms of enuresis, frequency, urinary urgency and a positive urodynamic test. This test was performed on 11 patients before and after acupuncture. In 16 out of 20 children, the authors observed a net increase in the intensity and frequency of uninhibited bladder contractions 30 minutes after acupuncture. At 60 minutes the contractions decreased and at 24 hours they had practically disappeared. Clinically, a gradual elimination of enuresis has been observed in 11 cases and an improvement in the other 7. From these early observations, the efficiency of acupuncture in suppressing uninhibited bladder contractions seems to be proved, even though the therapeutic mechanism has yet to be clarified.