Acupuncture Treatment in the Prevention of Uncomplicated Recurrent Lower Urinary Tract Infections in Adult Women

Acute lower urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common in adult women, and as many as 6% of members of the adult female population experience 3 or more episodes during a given year.1 In 1995, an estimated 11.3 million women in the United States received antibiotic treatment for at least 1 presumed UTI, resulting in associated costs of $1.6 billion during that year.2 Women with frequently recurrent cystitis may need prophylactic antibacterial treatment. However, such treatment may result in development of antimicrobial resistance, which is a medical problem of increasing concern.3 A recent study indicated that the rate of cystitis among cystitis-prone women treated with acupuncture was one third the rate among untreated women and half the rate among women treated by sham acupuncture (shallow needling outside known acupuncture points).4 In the present study, we sought to evaluate the effect of acupuncture treatment in preventing uncomplicated recurrent lower UTIs among adult nonpregnant women.