How does acupuncture treat stress urinary incontinence?

  Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is the involuntary leakage of urine from the external orifice of the urethra due to an increase in intra-abdominal pressure (e.g., coughing, sneezing, exercise, laughing, lifting heavy objects, etc.) in the absence of bladder contraction. The main causes of SUI include impaired urethral closure, trauma, surgery, excessive obesity, estrogen deficiency, and pregnancy.  SUI is a common and frequent disease, with a prevalence of 50% to 83% in women over 65 years of age, mainly in women. 15% to 30% of women are affected by SUI, both physiologically, psychologically, and socially, family and professionally, which seriously affects their physical and mental health and quality of life. Despite this, only a small percentage of patients with incontinence seek appropriate treatment. The reasons for this may be related to the perception that SUI is a natural and embarrassing phenomenon that is inevitable in old age; on the other hand, it is also due to its lack of publicity on the prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of urinary incontinence, which does not provide timely and correct health professional guidance and assistance. This has led to a year-on-year increase in the prevalence of the disease, while the treatment has not reached the corresponding popularity and promotion.  According to Chinese medicine, this disease belongs to the category of “incontinence of urine”. Mostly due to the lower yuan is not solid, bladder failure, or damp heat, blood stasis in the bladder, postpartum injury, etc.. Urinary incontinence treatment methods are many, but in recent years more clinical reports show: acupuncture treatment of this disease has the advantages of significant efficacy, short course of treatment, no side effects, easy for patients to accept. At the same time with health guidance, eliminate patient anxiety, enhance patient confidence in treatment, more conducive to the recovery of the disease, so acupuncture as a green and healthy treatment is an effective and practical, worthy of widespread promotion.