Time of Treatment

Best results are obtained if treatment is given at the time of pain. If there is pain after needling it
indicates that the expulsion of the stone is imminent.

Body Condition

The weaker the body condition of the patient, the more difficult it will be to expel the stone. If
the Kidneys are very deficient, it will be even more difficult.

The treatment is effective in about 70% of cases. Advise the patient to drink more and to take
exercise.

Prognosis and Prevention

Chinese medicine, with acupuncture and herbs, is extremely effective in treating both acute and
chronic Painful-Urination Syndrome. Indeed, in acute cases, either acupuncture or herbs, or a
combination of the two, can give almost immediate relief. In chronic cases too, acupuncture
and/or herbs provide the necessary tonification to eliminate the cause of recurrent urinary
problems.

The most difficult Painful-Urination Syndrome to treat is the Stone type.

As for prevention, any patient who is prone to recurrent episodes of Painful-Urination Syndrome
should observe certain precautions. Men should moderate their sexual activity as this depletes
Kidney-Qi, a deficiency of which is at the basis of most kinds of chronic Painful-Urination
Syndrome. Men should also avoid sexual activity soon after a period of heavy physical work,
especially that which involves lifting or carrying weights, as this habit could lead to Blood
Painful-Urination Syndrome.

Women should also moderate their sexual activity, but for different reasons. In women, sexual
activity may induce some Heat or stagnation of Qi in the Lower Burner: it could therefore
aggravate particularly the Heat or Qi types of Painful-Urination Syndrome.

Both men and women should definitely avoid the excessive consumption of spicy and very hot
foods (including alcohol) which would aggravate not only the Heat type, but also other types of
Painful-Urination Syndrome. The excessive consumption of greasy foods and dairy products
would aggravate the Cloudy Painful-Urination Syndrome.

Patients who are prone to the Fatigue type of Painful-Urination Syndrome should definitely
avoid lifting heavy weights (including heavy suitcases or shopping bags) as this will weaken