What overactive bladder is
A 2022 Cochrane review describes overactive bladder as a common, long-term group of symptoms: needing to pass urine often, urgency with or without leaking, and waking at night to pass urine. Around 11% of the population have symptoms, and the figure increases with age [3].
The NHS describes urge incontinence as urine leaking as a person feels a sudden, intense urge to pee, or soon afterwards, and says it is usually the result of overactivity of the detrusor muscles, which control the bladder [1].
What the research says about acupuncture
Cochrane review (2022). The review included 15 studies with 1,395 adults. All of them raised some concerns about risk of bias [3]. Its main findings:
- Compared with no treatment (one study): the evidence is very uncertain about the effect on curing or improving symptoms [3].
- Compared with sham acupuncture (five studies): it is uncertain whether there is any difference in curing or improving symptoms. Moderate-certainty evidence suggests there is probably little or no difference in episodes of leaking [3].
- Compared with medication (eleven studies): low-certainty evidence suggests acupuncture may slightly increase how many people's symptoms are cured or improved, and may reduce minor adverse events [3].
- No major adverse events were reported in any of the included studies, but the reviewers note that such events are rare in acupuncture trials and the numbers studied may be too small to detect them [3].
The reviewers wrote that these conclusions must remain tentative until larger, higher-quality studies are completed [3].
Stress incontinence (a different bladder problem). NCCIH, part of the US National Institutes of Health, reports a 2017 study of about 500 women with stress incontinence, in which women who had electroacupuncture (18 sessions over 6 weeks) had reduced urine leakage [2]. The NHS describes stress incontinence as urine leaking when the bladder is under pressure, for example when coughing or laughing [1].
Acupuncture in Malaysia
What acupuncture is. NCCIH describes acupuncture as a technique in which practitioners insert fine needles into the skin. The needles may be manipulated by hand or stimulated with small electrical currents (electroacupuncture). Acupuncture originated from traditional Chinese medicine [2].
Registration. Malaysia's Traditional and Complementary Medicine Act 2016 (Act 775) defines traditional and complementary medicine to include traditional Chinese medicine [6]. Under section 25 of the Act, in force since 1 March 2021, a person who is not a registered practitioner shall not practise traditional and complementary medicine services [6][7]. A registered practitioner must hold a valid practising certificate, which is valid for not more than twelve months and must be displayed at the place of practice (section 26) [6].
Referral. Section 30 of the Act requires a registered practitioner to refer a patient to a medical or dental practitioner if the patient has an acute medical emergency, or if the condition is beyond the practitioner's skill, competency or expertise [6]. Under section 30(3) the practitioner must explain this duty to the patient, or the patient's guardian or representative, so that they can make an informed decision about whether to refuse being referred. Section 30(4) says that if the patient, guardian or representative gives written notice consenting not to be referred, the practitioner is not obliged to refer [6].
NCCIH's guidance is not to use acupuncture to postpone seeing a health care provider about a health problem [2].
Safety. According to NCCIH, relatively few complications from acupuncture have been reported, but complications have resulted from nonsterile needles and improper delivery. When not delivered properly, acupuncture can cause serious adverse effects, including infections, punctured organs and injury to the central nervous system [2]. The NHS lists two situations in which acupuncture may not be safe: taking blood-thinning medicine or being at increased risk of bleeding, and having a skin condition or skin infection [8].
When the sources say to get medical help
Each source below sets its own level of urgency.
Urgent GP appointment or NHS 111 (NHS, UK) [4]: blood in the urine, or possible blood in the urine, even a small amount. The NHS says blood in urine is not usually anything serious, but it must be checked because it can be a sign of cancer; it may be bright pink, red or dark brown [4].
Contact a medical provider (MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine) [5]:
- urge incontinence symptoms that are causing problems
- pelvic discomfort, or burning when passing urine
See a GP (NHS, UK) [1]: any type of urinary incontinence.
For any emergency, Malaysia's emergency line is 999 [9]. The regulator's numbering plan also lists 112 as the code for mobile phones routed to emergency services [10].
In Malaysia (Ministry of Health portals). Klinik Kesihatan Kuala Lumpur, a government health clinic, lists outpatient (Pesakit Luar) services. It lists its service hours as 8.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday, with extended hours on weekday evenings and on weekends and public holidays, and says it is closed on some festival days [11]. Hospital Kuala Lumpur's emergency department says it provides 24-hour emergency medical services to people in Kuala Lumpur [12].
Find a clinic
The clinic directory lists acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine clinics across Malaysia by state and town.
Sources
- NHS. Urinary incontinence (last reviewed 2023).
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), US National Institutes of Health. Acupuncture: Effectiveness and Safety. Last updated October 2022.
- Hargreaves E, et al. Acupuncture for treating overactive bladder in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2022, CD013519. PubMed 36148895.
- NHS. Blood in urine. Page last reviewed 25 September 2026.
- MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine. Urge incontinence. Review date 1 July 2025.
- Laws of Malaysia. Traditional and Complementary Medicine Act 2016 (Act 775), English text published by the Ministry of Health Malaysia. Sections 3, 25, 26 and 30.
- Federal Government Gazette P.U. (B) 118, 23 February 2021. Appointment of date of coming into operation, Traditional and Complementary Medicine Act 2016.
- NHS. Herbal medicines and complementary therapies. Page last reviewed 1 May 2026.
- Malaysia.gov.my (MyGovernment portal). Malaysia Emergency Response Services (MERS) 999. Page updated 25 September 2025.
- Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission. Numbering and Electronic Addressing Plan, issued 26 January 2006. Schedule D.
- Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya State Health Department, Ministry of Health Malaysia. Klinik Kesihatan Kuala Lumpur.
- Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Ministry of Health Malaysia. Kecemasan & Trauma.