Clinical study on the efficacy of electroacupuncture combined with pelvic floor muscle training for female stress urinary incontinence

Clinical Snapshot

Key Findings

• P Value: P < 0.001 for all group comparisons

• Effect Size: Mean difference 5.79g (combination vs control)

• Primary Outcome: 1-hour pad test leakage volume reduction: combination 6.17g vs control 0.38g

• Nnt Or Sensitivity: NNT not calculable from available data; large effect size suggests low NNT

• Confidence Interval: 95% CI 5.89-6.44g for combination group

Clinical Application

Highly feasible - PFMT available through physiotherapists, electroacupuncture through registered acupuncturists PFMT covered under Medicare for eligible patients via physiotherapy referrals. Acupuncture available through private practice and some Medicare items for chronic conditions. Aligns with RACGP guidelines recommending conservative management before surgical intervention Women with mild-to-moderate stress urinary incontinence seeking conservative management

Abstract

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and synergistic effects of electroacupuncture (EA) combined with pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) in the treatment of mild-to-moderate stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women. METHODS: A single-blind (assessor-blinded), 2 × 2 factorial, randomized controlled trial was conducted. A total of 128 SUI patients were allocated to 4 groups: the EA group (sessions every other day, targeting acupoints including Guanyuan [RN4] and Shenshu [BL23]), PFMT group (3 daily sessions), combination group (EA + PFMT), and waitlist group. The intervention lasted for 4 weeks. The primary outcome was the change in 1-hour pad test leakage volume. Secondary outcomes included 72-hour urinary incontinence episodes and International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form scores. Data were analyzed using intention-to-treat and factorial analysis of variance. RESULTS: The combination group showed the greatest reduction in leakage volume (6.17 g, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 5.89-6.44), significantly outperforming the EA group (4.53 g, 95% CI = 4.26-4.81), PFMT group (2.13 g, 95% CI = 1.85-2.41), and waitlist group (0.38 g, 95% CI = 0.11-0.66; all P < .001). Factorial analysis confirmed significant main effects for EA (mean difference = 5.35 g, 95% CI = 5.15-5.54) and PFMT (mean difference = 4.15 g, 95% CI = 3.95-4.34; both P < .001), but no interaction effect (P = .686). Secondary outcomes showed consistent improvements in incontinence episodes and International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form scores. CONCLUSION: Combined EA and PFMT significantly alleviated SUI symptoms. Although no synergy was observed, the additive therapeutic effect provided clinical benefits, offering a promising nonsurgical alternative for SUI management.

References

1. 1.Ge, H., & Liu, Z. (2026). Clinical study on the efficacy of electroacupuncture combined with pelvic floor muscle training for female stress urinary incontinence. Medicine, 105(15), e48316. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000048316