Objectives: This review is aimed at assessing the efficacy and effectiveness of acupuncture treatment for interstitial cystitis patients through literature research and overview.
Methods: Database searching was conducted to identify relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and clinical studies on the acupuncture treatment for interstitial cystitis patients. Studies were searched from Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology, KISS, KMBASE, CNKI, Cochrane library, PubMed and Em Base up to April 2019.
Results: Five studies including three RCTs and two clinical studies were finally selected. Three studies showed that acupuncture was effective for interstitial cystitis. One study showed ineffectiveness of acupuncture treatment.
Conclusions: From three studies, acupuncture treatment for interstitial cystitis patients showed symptoms relief and improvement of QoL (Quality of Life). Further strictly designed studies are needed to confirm the efficacy and setup the acupuncture treatment protocol.