Urinary Retention

Also Know As Ischuria

Urinary Retention

Efficacy of Alternative and Other Treatments According to GRADE* Ranking:

Saw Palmetto Extract [1, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present. Palmetto extract may cause side effects, though these are uncommon. They may include headache, vomiting, dizziness, constipation, diarrhoea, insomnia or fatigue. Long term effects have not yet been researched.

Recommendation: No recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that saw palmetto helps to treat urinary retention. More research is needed.)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Kava (Piper Methysticum) [1, 8, 9, 10, 11]:

WARNING: In rare cases, kava may lead to liver failure and other life threatening problems. The FDA warns that those who have had liver problems, or are on medicacations which may affect the liver, patients should check with their doctors before taking Kava. Other side effects include headache, upset stomach, drowsiness, weight loss, bloody urine, and muscle weakness.

Recommendation: weakly in favor (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Kava helps to treat symptoms of urinary retention. More research is needed)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Gotu Kola (Centella Asiatica, Hydrocotyle Asiatica)[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Gotu Kola helps in the treatment of urinary retention in any way. More research is needed.)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Aromatherapy:

Recommendation: no recommendation (early trials done show no support of claims that aromatherapy may help with urinary retention)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

* www.gradeworkinggroup.org

Summary References

Treatments:

1. Ades T, Alteri R, Gansler T, Yeargin P, "Complete Guide to Complimentary & Alternative Cancer Therapies", American Cancer Society, Atlanta USA, 2009

2. Winston, D., Maimes, S., Adaptogens: Herbs For Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief, 2007, pp. 226-7

3. "A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study on the Effects of Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica) on Acoustic Startle Response in Healthy Subjects". Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. 20(6):680-684, December 2000. Bradwejn, Jacques MD, FRCPC *; Zhou, Yueping MD, PhD ++; Koszycki, Diana PhD *; Shlik, Jakov MD, PhD

4.  B. M. Hausen (1993) "Centella asiatica (Indian pennywort), an effective therapeutic but a weak sensitizer." Contact Dermatitis 29 (4), 175–179 doi:10.1111/j.1600-0536.1993.tb03532.x

5. Cataldo, A., Gasbarro, V., et al., "Effectiveness of the Combination of Alpha Tocopherol, Rutin, Melilotus, and Centella asiatica in The Treatment of Patients With Chronic Venous Insufficiency", Minerva Cardioangiology, 2001, Apr; 49(2):159-63

6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotu_kola#Medicinal_effects

7. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/gotu-kola

8. http://www.publish.csiro.au/?act=view_file&file_id=SP05005.pdf

9. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/kava

10. http://www.kavazen.com/pages/library.htm#KavaZen and Kava Safety

11. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/kava/index.htm

12. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/saw-palmetto

13. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/palmetto/

14. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-sawpalmetto.html

15. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12137626

16. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16467543

17. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18423748

18. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/saw-palmetto/NS_patient-sawpalmetto

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