ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture in treating mild and moderate female stress incontinence.Methods One hundred and eighty female patients with mild or moderate stress incontinence were randomly allocated to treatment and control groups, 90 cases each. The treatment group received electroacupuncture and the control group took midodrine hydrochloride tablets. The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF) score was recorded and 1-hour pad test leakage was measured in the two groups before and after treatment. The clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the two groups.Results There were statistically significant pre-/post-treatment differences in the ICIQ-UI SF score and pad test leakage in both groups (P<0.01). There were statistically significant post-treatment differences in the ICIQ-UI SF score and pad test leakage between the treatment and control groups (P<0.01). The total efficacy rate was 86.7% in the treatment group and 68.9% in the control group; there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05).Conclusions Electroacupuncture is an effective way to treat mild and moderate female stress incontinence. It can improve urinary continence and reduce urine leakage in the patients.