Effects of electroacupuncture combined with bladder training on the bladder function of patients with neurogenic bladder after spinal cord injury.

Neurogenic bladder is a common complication of spinal cord injury and results in urinary bladder dysfunction through lost control of micturition, or urination. Although several treatment options exist, the efficacies of many of these treatments are unknown. In particular, electroacupuncture and bladder training have had some success as individual treatments. The aim of this study was to explore effects of electroacupuncture combined with bladder training on bladder function of patients with neurogenic bladder after spinal cord injury (SCI) above the sacral segment. Forty-two patients with neurogenic bladder after SCI were evenly divided into two groups (n=21) and given only bladder function training (control group) or electroacupuncture combined with bladder function training (treatment group). Urodynamic changes, IPSS score, and therapeutic efficacy were compared between groups pre- and post-treatment. After either treatment, patients had higher bladder volume and bladder compliance, but lower residual urine volume, bladder pressure, rectal pressure, and detrusor pressure, compared to pre-treatment (P<0.05). Compared to controls, treatment group patients had significantly increased bladder volume and bladder compliance, but significantly decreased residual urine volume, bladder pressure, rectal pressure, and detrusor pressure (P<0.05). Treatment group patients had lower IPSS scores post-treatment (P<0.05) and better therapeutic efficacy (P<0.05) than control group patients. Altogether, our results suggest that electroacupuncture combined with bladder function training can clinically improve bladder function of patients with neurogenic bladder after SCI above the sacral segment.