Acupuncture as First-line Therapy for Patients With Interstitial Cystitis/Painful Bladder Syndrome

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating if acupuncture combined with behavioral changes can better treat women with bladder pain syndrome, also called interstitial cystitis, who have not received other treatments. The main focus is to see if acupuncture improves pain symptoms measured by the Interstitial Cystitis Index. The study compares six weeks of behavioral management alone to behavioral management combined with acupuncture. Participants will either receive verbal and written instructions on diet and urinary habit changes along with six weekly one-hour acupuncture sessions followed by pelvic floor physical therapy or they will first have six weeks of behavioral management before starting pelvic floor physical therapy. The acupuncture used includes traditional and electroacupuncture, and the physical therapy involves pelvic floor therapy with biofeedback. During the study, participants will complete surveys about their bladder pain symptoms and make behavioral changes that may help reduce symptoms. They will be monitored using the O'Leary-Sant Interstitial Cystitis Index at baseline and regularly during and after treatment for up to a year. Additional assessments include patient global impressions, quality of life surveys, and pain indexes. Researchers will also track any additional treatments and unscheduled interactions. The study lasts about one year after treatment to observe long-term outcomes.

Acupuncture First for IC/BPS