For a study, researchers sought to assess the effectiveness of pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy for non-bladder centric interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) for symptom and pain control in women.
For 4 weeks, women with non-bladder-centric IC/BPS who scored ≥6 on the numeric rating scale for pelvic pain completed twice-daily, 8-minute full-body PEMF treatment sessions. The primary outcome metric was a decrease in pelvic pain score of ≥2 points. Secondary outcomes were evaluated using a 7-day voiding diary (gathered at baseline and treatment’s end), 3 validated symptom ratings, and the Short Form-36 Quality of Life questionnaire (completed at baseline, at the end of therapy, and at the end of an 8-week follow-up). The wilcoxon-signed rank test was used to examine the treatment effects; a P<.05 was deemed significant.
Eight of the 10 patients who were included completed the 4-week treatment plan, and 7:8 (87.5%) saw a substantial decrease in pelvic pain (- 3.0 points, P =.011) at the end of the course. Additionally, scores on all validated IC/BPS questionnaires, daily void count, and nocturia symptom score all decreased significantly (P<.05). At 4 weeks, significant improvements in a number of quality-of-life questionnaire sub-scores were also seen (P< .05). Even while the beneficial benefits had slightly subsided at 8 weeks post-therapy (P =.047), 4:8 patients (or 50%) still reported significantly reduced pain. There were no side effects or negative incidents recorded.
Women with chronic bladder pain syndrome may benefit from whole-body pulsed electromagnetic field therapy, which should be investigated through comparative studies.
Reference: goldjournal.net/article/S0090-4295(22)00435-6/fulltext
