Efficacy of Shockwave Therapy for Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome
Title: Efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) for males chronic pelvic pain syndrome: A phase III, randomized, double blind controlled with placebo study
Authors: S. Ramon Rona (PhD, MD), R. A. Lorente Garin (PhD, MD), O. Bielsa Garli (PhD, MD), L. M. Romero Vargas (MD)
This study examined the efficacy of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) for the treatment of chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) in males. CPPS is characterized by long-lasting discomfort or pain in the pelvic area without detectable uropathogenic bacteria.
The study involved 40 male patients with CPPS who were randomly assigned to receive either ESWT or a placebo. The primary goal was to assess the effectiveness of ESWT in relieving male CPPS symptoms.
The results showed that the group receiving ESWT experienced statistically significant pain relief compared to the placebo group. Additionally, ESWT demonstrated improvements in voiding quality and urinary symptoms, as measured by the IPSS and NIH-CPSI scores, respectively. These positive effects were sustained for up to 12 weeks, and no adverse events were reported.
The study findings align with previous research in orthopedics, urology, and cardiology, which have consistently reported low rates of adverse events associated with ESWT. Notably, patients in this study experienced the maximum relief of symptoms after four weeks of treatment, surpassing the outcomes reported in the literature.
In conclusion, the study highlights that ESWT is an effective and safe treatment option for CPPS in males. Given the high prevalence of CPPS and the lack of specific treatments, ESWT should be considered as a viable alternative for improving symptoms and enhancing the quality of life for patients with CPPS. The findings contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting the use of shockwave therapy in various medical fields.