Objective To explore the effect of Yiqi Huoxue Decoction combined with heat sensitive moxibustion in patients with urinary retention after spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods From July 2019 to July 2021, 80 patients with urinary retention after SCI in our hospital were selected and divided into observation group and control group according to different treatment plans, 40 cases in each group. The control group was given Yiqi Huoxue decoction, and the observation group was treated with heat sensitive moxibustion additionally. Efficacy, urination before and after treatment, bladder function, urodynamic indexes [bladder volume (VH₂O), bladder compliance (BC), pressure of detrusor (Pdet), pressure of vesical (Pves), average flow rate (Qave)] and incidence of adverse events in 2 groups were observed. Results The total effective rate of observation group was 92.50%, higher than that of control group (70.73%, P<0.05). After treatment, bladder function score, average times of urination, average times of urine leakage, average urine volume and residual urine volume in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, compared with the control group, the observation group had lower Pves, higher VH₂O, Pdet, Qave and BC (P<0.05). The adverse event rate of the observation group (2.50%) was not significantly different from control group (5.00%, P>0.05). Conclusions Heat sensitive moxibustion combined with Yiqi Huoxue decoction is effective in the treatment of SCI patients with urinary retention, which can improve the symptoms of abnormal urination and promote the recovery of bladder function, and is safe and reliable.