Keywords
Type 2 diabetes mellitus
Neurogenic bladder
Elderly patients
External therapy of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Quality of life
Submitted : 2026-02-08
Accepted : 2026-02-23
Published : 2026-03-10
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of auricular acupressure therapy in elderly patients with type 2 diabetic neurogenic bladder, and to provide a feasible external treatment intervention plan based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for such patients. Methods: A randomized controlled study was conducted, selecting elderly patients with type 2 diabetic neurogenic bladder who met the inclusion criteria and randomly dividing them into a control group and an observation group. The control group received conventional comprehensive diabetes management and bladder function training, while the observation group additionally received auricular acupressure therapy, involving continuous stimulation of relevant auricular points such as Shenmen, Subcortex, Sympathetic, Kidney, Bladder, and Urethra, for a treatment duration of two courses. Changes in maximum urinary flow rate, bladder residual urine volume, TCM syndrome scores, and quality of life index (QOL) were compared between the two groups before and after treatment, and adverse reactions during treatment were recorded and analyzed. Results: After treatment, the observation group demonstrated superior improvement in clinical symptoms such as dysuria and urinary retention compared to the control group, with a significant increase in maximum urinary flow rate, a notable decrease in bladder residual urine volume and TCM syndrome scores, and a concurrent improvement in quality-of-life scores. The differences between the groups were statistically significant (p < 0.05). No serious adverse events occurred during treatment, and minor local discomfort resolved spontaneously after management, indicating overall good safety. Conclusion: As a simple and persistent TCM external treatment method, auricular acupressure therapy can further improve urinary function and quality of life in elderly patients with type 2 diabetic neurogenic bladder when combined with conventional treatment, with high safety and certain clinical promotion value.
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