PST Research Overview

Comprehensive summary of PST research to-date (Feb. 2010)
Overview (PDF, 300k) Database (PDF, 2MB)

Perspective:

The history of the early research in Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields is well encapsulated in the book, The Body Electric, by Robert O. Becker MD and Gary Selden, William Morrow and Company (1985). This book contains many references to the physiological research behind the electrical stimulation of bone. Andrew Bassett was one of the pioneers that then moved the electrical stimulation method to the electromagnetic form. Dr Richard Markoll, in the 1970s, studied the electromagnetic field characteristics of different connective tissues in the body. He patented a unique method of Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy (varying pulse trains) called Pulsed Signal Therapy that allowed the therapy to evolve from stimulation of bone fracture to non-invasive treatment of arthritis, including connective tissues around the joint (ligament, tendon, muscle) and cartilage and other connective tissues within the joint.

Pulsed Signal Therapy: An Overview by Richard Markoll, Dulce Da Silva Ferreira and Theresa K. Toohil published in the Aplar Journal of Rheumatology 2003: Volume 6: pages 89-100 provides an up-to-date explanation and historical summary of Pulsed Signal Therapy. It contains a list of references.

At least five, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, trials have been performed and published in peer-reviewed literature. These include:

1. A Double-Blind Trial of the Clinical Effects of Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields in Osteoarthritis by David H. Trock, Alfred Jay Bollet, Richard H. Dyer Jr., L. Peter Fielding, W. Kenneth Miner and Richard Markoll published in the Journal of Rheumatology 1993 20:3 pages 456-460.
2. The Effect of Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields and the Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Knee and Cervical Spine. Report of Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trials, by David H. Trock, Alfred Jay Bollet and Richard Markoll published in the Journal of Rheumatology 1994 21: 1903-1911.
3. Efficacy of Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy in Painful Knee Osteoarthritis: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study by Serge Perrot, Marc Marty, Andre Khan and Charles-Joel Menkes, Department of Rheumatology, Cochin Hospital, Paris University, Paris published in Arthritis Rheumatology 1998 Volume 41 (3) (suppl) pages 101-104.
4. Evaluation of Electromagnetic Fields in the Treatment of Pain in Patients with Lumbar Radiculopathy or the Whiplash Syndrome, by Ch. Thuile and M.Walzl, NeuroRehabilitation Volume 17 (2002) pp.63 – 67.
5. Efficacy of Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields in the Treatment of Early Osteoarthritis of the Knee, by Lim YW, Chong KC, Low CO. Presented at the ECCEO 5, March 16 – 19, 2005, Rome, Italy [Poster: P249].

There are many non-randomized prospective and retrospective studies:

1. PST (Pulsed Signal Therapy); A Proposal for Chondroprotection with Physical Methods by M. Cossu and N. Portale published in La Riabilitazione, 1998 Volume 31 (2): pages 51-59
2. Pulsed Signal Therapy: Treatment of Chronic Pain due to Traumatic Soft Tissue Injury by Cecil Hershler and Ana Sjaus published in the International Medical Journal September 1999 Volume 6 (3) pages 167-173.

An entire chapter devoted to Pulsed Signal Therapy was printed in a book, Pain Management: A Practical Guide for Clinicians (6th Edition edited by Richard S. Weiner) CRC Press 2002. This chapter goes through an explanation of the therapy and compares it with other known therapies for a variety of arthritic conditions as well as many other clinical conditions such as tendinitis and ligamentous damage, low back pain etc.

There are hundreds of clinics in Europe (at least 300 in Germany alone) and in South America. A number of years ago, ten Pulsed Signal Therapy clinics were opened in Brazil. Most of them are run by orthopaedic surgeons and one by a rheumatologist. A few years ago, I was invited to present my own data to a group of physicians at the Orthopaedic and Traumatology Institute at the University of Sao Paulo. The title of my talk was: Clinical Experience in the Treatment of Osteoarthritis and Soft Tissue Injuries with PST Technology. The Head of Orthopaedic Surgery at Sao Paulo University operates a Pulsed Signal Therapy Clinic.

I presented data on 339 patients that had been followed for one year post-treatment. 67% improved as a result of the treatment while 31% showed no change. Improvement is defined as a positive change of at least one unit on the pain scales. 56% improved by at least a positive change of two units. This is consistent with published figures of 70%. I was able to show that both chronic soft tissue and arthritic injuries reached the same level of improvement, six months post-treatment. The response was quicker in the arthritic conditions.

Many research papers have been published on the effect of Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields on animal cartilage. Recently, a number of articles have been published on the effect of Pulsed Signal Therapy on human chondrocytes:

1. Pulsed Signal Therapy (PST) Stimulates Mitosis of Human Chondrocytes in Culture by H. Gierse, R. Breul, M. Faensen and R. Markoll obtained directly from BMTS Inc., Boca Raton, Florida USA and Munich, Germany.
2. Pulsed Signal Therapy (PST) Enhances Proteoglycans Concentration in Human Chondrocyte Cultures by the Institute of Rheumatology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. Obtained directly from BMTS Inc., Boca Raton, Florida USA and Munich, Germany
3. Biochemical and Morphological Study of Human Articular Chondrocytes Cultivated in the Presence of Pulsed Signal Therapy by A. Fioravanti, F. Nerucci, G. Collodel, R. Markoll and R. Marcolongo published in Ann Rheum Dis 2002; 61 pages 1032-1033.

These were in-vitro studies and provide a physiological basis for the effect of PST on cellular repair.

In 2004, a paper was published describing the effects of Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy on neuropathic pain:

1. Pulsed Magnetic Field Therapy in Refractory Neuropathic Pain Secondary to Peripheral Neuropathy: Electrodiagnostic Parameters- Pilot Study by Michael I Weintraub and Steven P. Cole published in Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair 18 (1); 2004 pp.42 - 46.

Cecil Hershler, M.D., Ph.D., F.R.C.P. (C)
November 24, 2005

March 2007: Data analysis of PST effectiveness [PDF]

In placebo-controlled studies, researchers divide patients either into a control group that receives an active signal during treatment, or a placebo group that doesn't receive an active signal. By comparing the results for both groups, researchers were able to see if the treatment had any effect, or whether patients would have gotten better without the treatment.
In randomized studies, patients are randomly assigned to the groups by a third party. That way, researchers can be sure that the groups are the same in regards to age, sex, physical condition, and other characteristics.
In double-blind studies, neither the patients nor the researchers know until the end of the study who is in the control group and who is in the placebo group.

• Research Overview
• CLINICAL TRIALS: PULSED SIGNAL THERAPY
• PUBLISHED PULSED SIGNAL THERAPY RESEARCH
• PULSED ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS (PEMF) AND INTRACELLULAR PROCESSES
• CELL RESPONSE TO PULSED ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS (PEMF)
• MEDICAL APPLICATIONS OF PULSED ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS (PEMF)

E-mail us
Vancouver PST deals only with queries from Canada and USA.

HOME PAGE       HOW PST WORKS      TREATABLE CONDITIONS       TREATMENT PROCESS       THE CLINIC       Q&A
    Research      Testimonials       Newsletters       Links       Site Map

	Web www.certifiedpst.com