Objective: To compare the clinical effect of the herbal cake-separated moxibustion with new-type moxibustion device combined with bladder function exercise and simple bladder function exercise on improving urinary retention after spinal cord injury.
Methods: Sixty-eight patients were randomly divided into a control group and an observation group, 34 cases in each group. The bladder function exercise was given in the control group. On the basis of the treatment in the control group, herbal cake-separated moxibustion with new-type moxibustion decice was applied at Shenque (CV 8), Guanyuan (CV 4), Qihai (CV 6), Zhongji (CV 3) for 30 min, once a day in the observation group. The two groups were treated for 4 weeks as a course, 2 courses of treatment were needed. Bladder maximum volume, bladder residual urine volume and urinary tract infection before and after treatment were compared, and the clinical efficacy was evaluated in the two groups.
Results: The total effective rate in the observation group was 88.2% (30/34), which was better than 64.7% (22/34) in the control group (P<0.05). The increase of bladder maximum volume and decrease of bladder residual urine volume in the observation group were significantly better than those in the control group (P<0.01). At the 4th, 6th and 8th weeks for treatment, the improvement of urinary tract infection in the observation group was better than that in the control group (P<0.05).
Conclusion: At the same time of bladder function training, herbal cake-separated moxibustion with new-type moxibustion device could improve urinary retention after spinal cord injury.
Keywords: herbal cake-separated moxibustion; rehabilitation; spinal cord injury; urinary retention.