Low frequency therapeutic EMF differently influences experimental muscle pain in female and male subjects.
Effects of a pulsating, half sine wave magnetic field (MF) with a frequency of 100 pps and 15 mT rms flux density, generated by the MD TEMF device (EMF Therapeutics, Inc., Chattanooga), on subjective pain rating, heart rate, and arterial blood pressure were tested in a double blind, crossover design study employing experimental muscle pain. Each of 24 healthy volunteers (12 females and 12 males, 24.7 +/- 3.2 years of age) received painful stimulation induced by the infusion of 5% hypertonic saline (HS) into the erector spinae muscle during real and sham MF exposure, in counterbalanced order. Exposure to MF differently affects subjective pain estimates in females and males. MF exposure increased averaged pain level and time integral of pain ratings in females, whereas no statistically significant difference for these characteristics was found in males. Pain related elevation of systolic and diastolic blood pressure was observed during both real and sham EMF exposure in female and male subjects.
Lyskov
Eugene
E
Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, University of Gävle, Gävle, Sweden. eugene.lyskov@hig.se
Kalezic
Nebojsa
N
Markov
Marko
M
Mild
Kjell Hansson
KH
Thunberg
Johan
J
Johansson
Håkan
H
D000328:Adult; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009209:Myofascial Pain Syndromes / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011379:Prognosis; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic; D012737:Sex Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic