Objectives: This study was designed to clarify the clinical usefulness of acupuncture as a treatment option for monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis, and evaluate the mechanisms of its effect.
Methods: Subjects comprised 15 patients (10 males, 5 females) with monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis who were treated by acupuncture using a disposable stainless steel needle (0.3 mm in diameter, 60 mm in length) inserted into bilateral BL-33 (Zhongliao) points on the skin of the third posterior sacral foramina and rotated manually for 10 min reciprocally. Bladder capacities and number of wet nights per week were compared before and after treatment. Patients in whom wet nights decreased 50% or more compared with the baseline were considered responders.
Results: Nocturnal enuresis improvement rates following acupuncture treatment were 40% (6/15) just after treatment and 47% (7/15) 2 months after. In 6 responders, just after treatment the nocturnal bladder capacity (NBC) increased significantly, from 201 mL to 334 mL (P < 0.05). No side-effects were recognized throughout the treatment period.
Conclusion: Acupuncture may be beneficial in the treatment of nocturnal enuresis by increasing NBC, and provide a promising alternative to conventional therapies for monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis.