Association of auricular reflective points and the status of lower urinary tract symptoms in aging males

Auriculotherapy in adults and elderly people with lower urinary tract symptoms: an integrative review

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the evidence available in the literature on the use of auriculotherapy in adults and elderly people with lower urinary tract symptoms.

METHOD

An integrative literature review. Primary study search was carried out in nine relevant health databases. The characterization of studies regarding the method of application of auriculotherapy was based on the Revised Standards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture recommendations.

RESULTS

296 studies were found, 17 pre-selected and eight included in the review. Favorable results from auriculotherapy were evidenced in specific populations, such as elderly men with prostatic disorders and individuals undergoing surgical procedures. The main urinary symptoms addressed were frequency, urgency, nocturia, incomplete voiding, intermittency, weak flow, effort to start urination, incontinence, and urinary retention.

CONCLUSION

Despite the limited number of studies and weaknesses with regard to sample size and different intervention protocols, it is suggested that auriculotherapy, associated or not with other complementary therapies, may contribute to lower urinary tract symptom control in adults and elderly people.

Is the combined auriculotherapy approach superior to magneto-auriculotherapy alone in aging males with lower urinary tract symptoms? A randomized controlled trial

The negative impact of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) on affected males is substantial. This study aims to assess whether a combined auriculotherapy (AT) using laser AT (LAT) and magneto-AT (MAT) is more effective than using MAT alone or placebo for managing LUTS of aging males.Methods: A randomized controlled, double-blinded trial was conducted. Sixty-two aging males with moderate or severe LUTS symptoms were randomly allocated into groups: Group 1, placebo LAT plus placebo MAT (n = 20); Group 2, combined AT approach using LAT plus MAT (n = 20); and Group 3, placebo LAT followed by MAT (n = 22). Six ear acupoints assumed to be suitable for alleviating LUTS were used. The total treatment period was 4 weeks, with follow-up visits till 3 months. Generalized estimating equations model was used for the examination of the interactions among the groups over time.Results: A combined AT approach exhibited a stronger treatment effect in relieving voiding problems, improving the peak urinary flow rate, and reducing the post-void residual urine than the placebo group or MAT alone.Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the AT protocol used in this study for aging males with LUTS is feasible and can be adopted in future study of increased scale.

Correlations Between Auricular Tenderness and Symptoms in Korean Adults

The purpose of this study was to examine the correlation between auricular tenderness and subjective symptoms. A descriptive correlational study design was followed, which was also the second analysis of a randomized controlled trial. This study was performed in the Republic of Korea from September 2013 to February 2017. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the Constipation Assessment Scale, and the Nicotine Dependence Syndrome Scale were used. One hundred thirty-three participants displayed ear tenderness, whereas 84 participants did not. Adults with auricular tenderness reported more symptoms, such as sputum, rhinitis, constipation, stress, mood swings, and depressive symptoms compared with adults without (with tenderness: 4.14 ± 2.94, without tenderness: 2.92 ± 2.45; t = 3.32, P = .001). Finally, auricular acupressure points were positively correlated with various symptoms such as sputum, constipation, nicotine addiction, stress, cough, and rhinitis. Auricular palpation could be used to detect a disease at an early stage.