Although the etiology and pathogenesis of nocturnal enuresis are still unclear and no definite theory has yet been established, treatment by acupuncture has been applied for a long time and its effectiveness have also been reported. However, there are very few reports on the findings on body surface (chill and KORI-stiffness/tonus/tension, etc.-of the body surface), which are important in Oriental Medicine, so we have focused on such findings in this report.
A total of 15 patients (11 boys, 4 girls) ranging in age from 4 to 13 years (8.4 years old in average) were examined. Their parents were instructed to fill out questionnaires concerning at the first examination and subsequently record daily frequency of urination and urine volume at each urination. Skin temperatures of the areas ranging from the face to the foot were measured by thermography in a supine position and abdominal regions were palpated using the techniques of Oriental Medicine.
1) Acupuncture treatment was remarkably effective in 5, effective in 5, slightly effective in 2, and ineffective or induced aggravation in 3, of the 15 patients. In summary 12 patients (80.0%) benefited from the acupunture treatment to a greater or lesser degree.
2) Ten out of 13 patients exhibited swelling and tension of the suprapubic regions, six of the ten patients experienced reduced swelling and tension after treatment, and all six patients also showed improved nocturnal enuresis.
3) The patients with nocturnal enuresis whose skin temperature in the suprapubic region was within the range of 32 to 34°C on initial examination recovered from nocturnal enuresis in contrast to those patients whose temperature was out of that range.
4) Six out of the 13 patients were found to have chill of pedal fingers on initial examination because of their temperature being under 26°C. After treatment, however, the skin temperatures of all 13 patients were above 28°C.
5) Among the five patients whose nocturnal enuresis did not respond to the acupuncture treatment, four had a pedal finger temperature below 26°C on initial examination.