Effect of Electroacupuncture on Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Diagnosis of BPH in accordance with the European Association of Urology (EAU)guideline;

2. Male participants aged between 40 and 80 years;

3. Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) for at least three months;

4. IPSS total score ≥8;

5. Prostate volume ≥20 mL;

6. Urinary peak flow rate (Qmax) ≤15 mL/s;

7. Voluntary participation in the trial and signed written informed content.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Post-void residual urine volume (PVR) ≥150 mL;

2. Acute urinary retention or catheterization for outflow obstruction within the 3months (Except for post-surgical disposable catheterization);

3. Prostate cancer or prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level ≥4.0 ng/mL;

4. Neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction; prostatitis; uncontrolled symptomaticurinary tract infections; urethral strictures; bladder diverticula; bladder stones;bladder cancer; history of genitourinary system surgery (prostate, bladder, urethra,etc.);

5. Previous acupuncture treatment for BPH in the preceding one month, or α-blockers, 5α-reductase inhibitor, muscarinic receptor antagonists, or any other specificmedication usage in the previous two weeks unless a stable 5α-reductase inhibitorusage of over three months;

6. Severe lung, heart, liver, kidney, metabolic, or mental illness, coagulationdysfunction, or with obvious cognitive dysfunction;

7. Installed cardiac pacemaker, allergy to metal, severe fear of acupuncture orunbearable to the stimulation of EA.