This blog is to share the latest research and development of acupuncture and raise the awareness of alternative treatments for your conditions, and is for information only.

Wednesday, 25 March 2015

Acupuncture is an effective treatment for chronic prostatitis-chronic pelvic pain syndrome

Acupuncture therapy is very effective in treating patients with chronic prostatitis-chronic pelvic pain syndrome and its effect is even better than conventional medication according to a report published in the journal of Urology.

Chronic prostatitis or chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP-CPPS) is characterized by at least 3 month of pain in the perineum or pelvic floor, often associated with low urinary tract symptoms and sexual dysfunction. CP-CPPS is being categorized in main 4 categories. CP-CPPS affects 2-14% of male population and are normally treated by pharmacologic such as antibiotics, anti-inflammatory agents which are always associated with adverse effect when being used for long time.

Recently a randomized non-blinded clinical study was performed in Turkey to compare acupuncture with medication on pain control, urinary symptoms and quality of life of patient with category IIIB CP-CPPS. Fifty-four patients with category IIIB CP-CPPS were recruited and randomly divided into two groups: acupuncture group (n=26) and medication group (n=28). In acupuncture group patients were given electroacupuncture at BL32 and BL33 acupoints, 30 mins a day, twice a week for 7 weeks. Patients in medication group were given levofloxacin 500 mg daily and ibuprofen 200 mg twice a day for 6 weeks. The changes in National Institute Health of Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index scores were monitored before and after treatment.

It was observed that pain was markedly reduced in two groups; however reduction was statistically significantly higher in acupuncture group than medication group. Similarly decrease in urinary symptoms and improvement in quality of life in acupuncture group was significantly higher than medication group.

The authors suggest that acupuncture is a very effective alternative treatment for patients with CP-CPPS.

Reference:
Küçük EV, et al.,  Effectiveness of Acupuncture on Chronic Prostatitis-Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome Category IIIB Patients: A Prospective, Randomized, Nonblinded, Clinical Trial. Urology. 2015 Mar;85(3):636-40.   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25582816

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