title: Analgesic properties of electromagnetic field therapy in patients with chronic pelvic pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Demonstration of analgesic effects of electromagnetic field treatment in cases of chronic refractory pelvic pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective non-controlled trial, 64 women complaining about pelvic pain of at least 6 months duration, resistant to standard therapies, submitted to electromagnetic field applications on both iliac regions by Thelf Systems apparatus by two applications daily lasting 2 hours each for 20-40 days. Control visit after 3 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complete subsidence of pain in 39 cases (61%), in 15 patients (23%) relief during treatment, then mild endopelvic tension after a 3-month control; in 10 cases (16%) symptoms reduced only during application hours, unchanged at follow-up. Outcome of treatment appears to be independent of pre-existent psychosocial variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Magnetic therapy shows a real analgesic effect on pelvic pain, and seems to contribute to resolution of complex interactions between somatic nociceptive stimuli and psychosocial implications affecting pain perception in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology II Clinic, University of Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Varcaccio-Garofalo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carriero
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Loizzo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amoruso
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Loizzi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000698:Analgesia; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017699:Pelvic Pain; D011446:Prospective Studies