Abstract
To improve circulation in the prostate and its periphery, low frequency electric acupuncture therapy (EAT) was conducted in 100 patients with chronic prostatitis (nonbacterial prostatitis and prostatodynia). The patients were investigated by urinalysis, digital examination, ultrasonography, psychological testing, self-evaluation of symptoms, etc.
EAT improved both white blood cell (WBC) count in the expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) and tenderness upon digital examination, by 64.7% and 82.1%, respectively. Although the efficacy of treatment was significantly lower in patients who were positive for WBC in EPS than in those who were negative (p<0.05), it was effective in 70.6% of WBC-positive cases. Thus, EAT is effective against chronic prostatitis to some extent. There were no significant differences in efficacy rate between patients taking medication and those without medication.
Moreover, EAT was especially effective in patients with chronic prostatitis in whom inflammatory findings, neurosis, and depression were not severe. According to the general evaluation of subjective and objective findings, the efficacy rate of EAT was 79.3%.
These findings indicate that EAT is useful in cases of chronic prostatitis in which medication and conventional urological treatment have little or no effect.
