title: Evaluation of electromagnetic fields in the treatment of pain in patients with lumbar radiculopathy or the whiplash syndrome.
abstract: Back pain and the whiplash syndrome are very common diseases involving tremendous costs and extensive medical effort. A quick and effective reduction of symptoms, especially pain, is required. In two prospective randomized studies, patients with either lumbar radiculopathy in the segments L5/S1 or the whiplash syndrome were investigated. Inclusion criteria were as follows: either clinically verified painful lumbar radiculopathy in the segments L5/S1 and a Laségue's sign of 30 degrees (or more), or typical signs of the whiplash syndrome such as painful restriction of rotation and flexion/extension. Exclusion criteria were prolapsed intervertebral discs, systemic neurological diseases, epilepsy, and pregnancy. A total of 100 patients with lumbar radiculopathy and 92 with the whiplash syndrome were selected and entered in the study following a 1:1 ratio. Both groups (magnetic field treatment and controls) received standard medication consisting of diclofenac and tizanidine, while the magnetic field was only applied in group 1, twice a day, for a period of two weeks. In patients suffering from radiculopathy, the average time until pain relief and painless walking was 8.2 +/- 0.5 days in the magnetic field group, and 11.7 +/- 0.5 days in controls p < 0.04). In patients with the whiplash syndrome, pain was measured on a ten-point scale. Pain in the head was on average 4.6 before and 2.1 after treatment in those receiving magnetic field treatment, and 4.2/3.5 in controls. Neck pain was on average 6.3/1.9 as opposed to 5.3/4.6, and pain in the shoulder/arm was 2.4/0.8 as opposed to 2.8/2.2 (p < 0.03 for all regions). Hence, magnetic fields appear to have a considerable and statistically significant potential for reducing pain in cases of lumbar radiculopathy and the whiplash syndrome.
authors.affiliation: International Society of Energy Medicine, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Ch
authors.initials: Ch
authors.lastname: Thuile
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Walzl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008280:Magnetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000150:complications*; D012016:Reference Values; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013577:Syndrome; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014911:Whiplash Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*