Electroacupuncture Improves Bladder and Bowel Function in Patients with Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: Results from a Prospective Observational Study

In order to explore the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) for chronic bowel and bladder dysfunction after traumatic spinal cord injury, 14 patients were treated with electroacupuncture once a day, five times a week for the first four weeks, and once every other day, three times a week for the following four weeks. The patients were then followed up for six months. After treatment, four (4/14, 28.57%) patients resumed normal voiding; six (6/14, 42.86%) resumed normal voiding for no less than half of all micturition behaviors; four (4/14, 28.57%) required supplementary urination methods for higher than half of all micturition behaviors. These effects persisted during followup. Mean postvoid RUV decreased by 190.29 ± 101.87 mL (P < 0.01) after treatment and by 198.86 ± 112.18 mL (P < 0.01) during followup. Patients' weekly urinary incontinence frequency decreased 7.14 ± 46.34 times/week (P = 0.036) after treatment and decreased 49.86 ± 44.38 times/week during followup. After treatment, four (4/14, 28.57%) patients resumed normal bowel movements (P = 0.025); five (5/14, 35.71%) reduced the dependence on supplementary defecation methods; five (5/14, 35.71%) had no changes. In patients with chronic bowel and bladder dysfunction after traumatic SCI, EA may provide a valuable alternative tool in improving patients' self-controlled bowel and bladder functions with minimal side effects.