subject: Acupuncture for interstitial cystitis [print this page] Acupuncture for interstitial cystitis Acupuncture for interstitial cystitis
Interstitial Cystitis Natural Remedies - Acupuncture can be an alternative medication option when pain is really to manage in very critical situation. For many years, acupuncture researcher has given focus on the release of opiates and other pain relieving chemicals in the brain. But in practice, acupuncturists often choose points that are close to the painful area it means it is essentially achieved much success in this area which makes the process much efficient. However, the research on the brain yet not found the details which can be called as mechanism of action, needling close to the area of pain, works to relieve pain.
It gets popular that Traditional Chinese Medicine works by correcting imbalances in the body. When our body regains its natural balance, we are healthier, and feel better. Treating the imbalance does not just treat the symptoms or mask the condition, but rather corrects the root of the problem by encouraging self-healing of the body and it is believed that lot of people are keeping faith on it.
Physical, emotional, and mental states, as well as our relationship to our encircled environment and the natural world affect our ability to maintain harmony. Imbalances can lead to many obstructions or deficiencies, which will impart negatively an individual's health. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine help regulate this system naturally by allowing the body to be active in the healing process, which can lead to long-term improvements in wellness that's why it is getting appreciation day by day though the huge research in this field is very low.
Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic relapsing disease of the urinary bladder and the symptoms include severe chronic pelvic pain, urinary frequency, urgency, and nocturia are common. So no single treatment provides complete relief to all of the complications, and the condition may relapse after periods of remission. So the adjunctive use of acupuncture can be a solution from the critical and unmanageable disease.
Treatments available for IC include oral medication, intravesicular treatments, and physical modalities. Standard 1st-line treatment is hydrodistension of the urinary bladder under anesthesia. Intravesicular installation of dimethyl sulfoxide, lidocaine, pentosan polysulfate, or heparin can augment the distension procedure results. Medications include tricyclic antidepressants, antihistamines (hydroxyzine, particularly), detrusor muscle stabilizers (such as oxybutynin), pentosan polysulfate, and analgesics.
Most patients with IC are treated with a combination of modalities, and all patients should be offered referral to a support group. The Interstitial Cystitis Association of America provides a support link to patients throughout the United States. The psychological, physical, and socioeconomic toll taken by this disease is surprisingly large. There are also still some clinicians who believe the once-commonplace myth that IC is a psychosomatic condition.
In the case I reported, the patient obtained substantial improvement in pain, voiding patterns, and quality of life through treatment with medical acupuncture as an adjunct to medication therapy. Many IC patients could benefit from a therapeutic trial of acupuncture. This treatment could be studied prospectively, using the patient as his/her own control, and comparing before/after treatment pain scales, voiding diaries, and medication counts
