Abstract
Overactive bladder is a complex syndrome that can have a significant symptomatic burden on patients. There are currently treatment options available, although these options may have significant side effects that can further diminish patients’ quality of life. The need for effective therapies that have high patient acceptability and compliance has caused many patients to seek complementary alternative forms of treatment. Herbal medications, which are used worldwide, have been shown to positively impact quality of life and provide symptomatic improvement in patients suffering with overactive bladder. Acupuncture has also been demonstrated to provide short-term relief of overactive bladder symptoms, specifically on quality of life, urgency, and frequency. Homeopathic remedies, though not widely studied, have shown to be effective in the short term for treatment of symptoms related to overactive bladder. These options may be associated with fewer side effects than traditional anti-muscarinic medications and/or surgical interventions. Further research is required to assess the true efficacy of these alternative therapeutic options.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance,•• Of major importance
Abrams PP, Cardozo LL, Fall MM, et al. The standardisation of terminology in lower urinary tract function: report from the standardisation sub-committee of the International Continence Society. Urology. 2003;61(1):37–49. doi:10.1016/S0090-4295(02)02243-4.
Milsom I, Abrams P, Cardozo L, Roberts RG, Thüroff J, Wein AJ. How widespread are the symptoms of an overactive bladder and how are they managed? A population-based prevalence study. BJU Int. 2001;87(9):760–6. doi:10.1046/j.1464-410x.2001.02228.x.
Chancellor MB, Yoshimura N. Neurophysiology of stress urinary incontinence. Rev Urol. 2004;6 Suppl 3:S19–28.
Fetscher C, Fleichman M, Schmidt M, Krege S, Michel MC. M 3muscarinic receptors mediate contraction of human urinary bladder. Br J Pharmacol. 2002;136(5):641–4. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0704781.
Chu FM, Dmochowski R. Pathophysiology of overactive bladder. Am J Med. 2006;119(3 Suppl 1):6–6. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2005.12.010. Thorough overview of the pathophysiology of overactive bladder.
Murphy AM, Krlin RM, Goldman HB. Treatment of overactive bladder: what is on the horizon? Int Urogynecol J. 2013;24(1):5–13. doi:10.1007/s00192-012-1860-6. Overview of current and arising treatments for overactive bladder.
Aizawa N, Igawa Y, Nishizawa O, Wyndaele J-J. Effects of CL316,243, a beta 3-adrenoceptor agonist, and intravesical prostaglandin E2 on the primary bladder afferent activity of the rat. Neurourol Urodyn. 2010;29(5):771–6. doi:10.1002/nau.20826.
Hu TW, Wagner TH. Economic considerations in overactive bladder. Am J Manag Care. 2000;6(11 Suppl):S591–8.
Stewart WF, Van Rooyen JB, Cundiff GW, et al. Prevalence and burden of overactive bladder in the United States. World J Urol. 2003;20(6):327–36. doi:10.1007/s00345-002-0301-4.
Kay GG, Abou-Donia MB, Messer WS, Murphy DG, Tsao JW, Ouslander JG. Antimuscarinic drugs for overactive bladder and their potential effects on cognitive function in older patients. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2005;53(12):2195–201. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2005.00537.x.
Thom DH, Haan MN, Van Den Eeden SK. Medically recognized urinary incontinence and risks of hospitalization, nursing home admission and mortality. Age Ageing. 1997;26(5):367–74. doi:10.1093/ageing/26.5.367.
Benner JS, Nichol MB, Rovner ES, et al. Patient-reported reasons for discontinuing overactive bladder medication. BJU Int. 2010;105(9):1276–82. doi:10.1111/j.1464-410X.2009.09036.x.
Rees AM. The Complementary and Alternative Medicine Information Source Book. ABC-CLIO; 2001.
Barnes PM, Powell-Griner E, McFann K, Nahin RL. Complementary and alternative medicine use among adults: United States, 2002. Adv Data. 2004;343:1–19.
Chughtai B, Kavaler E, Lee R, Te A, Kaplan SA, Lowe F. Use of herbal supplements for overactive bladder. Rev Urol. 2013;15(3):93. Great overview of commonly used herbal supplements used to treat OAB.
Gotoh A, Goto K, Sengoku A, et al. Inhibition of urinary bladder motility by a spinal action of U-50488H in rats. J Pharm Pharmacol. 2002;54(12):1645–50. doi:10.1211/002235702397.
Omiya Y, Suzuki Y, Yuzurihara M, Murata M. Antinociceptive effect of Shakuyakukanzoto, a Kampo Medicine, in Diabetic Mice. Journal of …. 2005.
Gotoh A, Goto K, Sengoku A, et al. Inhibition mechanism of Gosha-jinki-gan on the micturition reflex in rats. J Pharmacol Sci. 2004;96(2):115–23.
Suzuki T, Higashi H, Saitoh K, Kurokawa K, Ohma C, Yamanaka H. Effects of gosha-jinki-gan on urinary bladder contraction in dogs. Hinyokika Kiyo. 1997;43(4):271–4.
Ogushi T, Takahashi S. Effect of Chinese herbal medicine on overactive bladder. Hinyokika Kiyo. 2007;53(12):857–62.
Kajiwara M, Mutaguchi K. Clinical efficacy and tolerability of gosha-jinki-gan, Japanese traditional herbal medicine, in females with overactive bladder. Hinyokika Kiyo. 2008;54(2):95–9.
Ito Y, Seki M, Nishioka Y, et al. Pharmacological effects of Hachi-mi-jio-gan extract (Harncare) on the contractile response and on pharmacologically relevant receptors in the rat bladder. Yakugaku Zasshi. 2009;129(8):957–64. doi:10.1248/yakushi.129.957.
Yoshimura K, Terai A, Arai Y. Two-week administration of low-dose Hachimi-jio-gan (Ba-Wei Di-Huang-Wan) for patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Hinyokika Kiyo. 2003;49(9):509–14.
Liu J, Kurashiki K, Shimizu K, Kondo R. 5alpha-reductase inhibitory effect of triterpenoids isolated from Ganoderma lucidum. Biol Pharm Bull. 2006;29(2):392–5.
Noguchi M, Kakuma T, Tomiyasu K, et al. Effect of an extract of Ganoderma lucidum in men with lower urinary tract symptoms: a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized and dose-ranging study. Asian J Androl. 2008;10(4):651–8. doi:10.1111/j.1745-7262.2008.00336.x.
Chancellor MB, de Groat WC. Intravesical capsaicin and resiniferatoxin therapy: spicing up the ways to treat the overactive bladder. J Urol. 1999;162(1):3–11. doi:10.1097/00005392-199907000-00002.
Lazzeri M, Beneforti P, Spinelli M, Zanollo A, Barbagli G, Turini D. Intravesical resiniferatoxin for the treatment of hypersensitive disorder: a randomized placebo controlled study. J Urol. 2000;164(3 Pt 1):676–9.
Saitoh C, Chancellor MB, de Groat WC, Yoshimura N. Effects of intravesical instillation of resiniferatoxin on bladder function and nociceptive behavior in freely moving. Conscious rats. J Urol. 2008;179(1):359–64. doi:10.1016/j.juro.2007.08.090.
Ojiako OA, Igwe CU. Nutritional and anti-nutritional compositions of Cleome rutidosperma, Lagenaria siceraria, and Cucurbita maxima seeds from Nigeria. J Med Food. 2007;10(4):735–8. doi:10.1089/jmf.2007.625.
Hata K, Tanahashi S, Wakida Y, Tatsuzaki M, Koide A. Hata: Effects of pumpkin seed extract on urinary… - Google Scholar. Med Sci …. 2005.
Friederich M, Theurer C, Schiebel-Schlosser G. Prosta Fink Forte capsules in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Multicentric surveillance study in 2245 patients. Forsch Komplementarmed Klass Naturheilkd. 2000;7(4):200–4.
Nishimura M, Ohkawara T, Sato H, Takeda H, Nishihira J. Pumpkin seed oil extracted from Cucurbita maxima improves urinary disorder in human overactive bladder. J Tradit Complement Med. 2014;4(1):72–4. doi:10.4103/2225-4110.124355.
Paik S-H, Han S-R, Kwon O-J, Ahn Y-M, Lee B-C, Ahn S-Y. Acupuncture for the treatment of urinary incontinence: a review of randomized controlled trials. Exp Ther Med. 2013;6(3):773–80. doi:10.3892/etm.2013.1210. Overview of randomized control trials to date of acupuncture use for incontinence with in-depth review of their study designs, results, and limitations.
Emmons SL, Otto L. Acupuncture for overactive bladder: a randomized controlled trial. Obstet Gynecol. 2005;106(1):138–43. doi:10.1097/01.AOG.0000163258.57895.ec.
Kelleher CJ, Filshie J, Burton G, Khullar V, Cardozo LD. Acupuncture and the treatment of irritative bladder symptoms. Acupunct Med. 1994;12(1):9–12. doi:10.1136/aim.12.1.9.
Engberg S, Cohen S, Sereika SM. The efficacy of acupuncture in treating urge and mixed incontinence in women: a pilot study. J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2009;36(6):661–70. doi:10.1097/WON.0b013e3181bd82dd.
Chernin D. The Complete Homeopathic Resource for Common Illnesses. North Atlantic Books; 2006.
Gollmann W. The Homoeopathic Guide in All Diseases of the Urinary and Sexual Organs. 1855.
van Leeuwen JHS, Castro R, Busse M, Bemelmans BL. The placebo effect in the pharmacologic treatment of patients with lower urinary tract symptoms. Eur Urol. 2006;50(3):440–53. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2006.05.014.
Compliance with Ethics Guidelines
Conflict of Interest
Divya Arunachalam and Jennifer Rothschild declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent
This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
This article is part of the Topical Collection on Overactive Bladder
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Arunachalam, D., Rothschild, J. Complementary Alternative Medicine and Therapies for Overactive Bladder Symptoms: Is There Evidence for Benefit?. Curr Bladder Dysfunct Rep 10, 20–24 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11884-014-0280-5
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11884-014-0280-5