IMAGE GUIDED APPROACH TO THE TREATMENT OF PROSTATE HYPERPLASIA

Written by: Robert L. Bard, MD

Procedurally, the best way to study an enlarged hyperplastic prostate gland is as a low grade inflammatory process, similar to women with fibrocystic breasts considered to be breast inflammation. [1] This does not need to be treated with antibiotics since this inflammation is often aligned with a chronic disease and requires a long-term treatment protocol. One example of this therapy is using a pulse electromagnetic applicator (PEMF) which can be applied over the groin area or under the pelvis (even in the car seat). For treatment applications, this protocol is recognized to be safe, painless, comfortable, and user-friendly on a long-term basis. 

Reducing low grade inflammation can be managed with relatively low energy treatment over an extended yet controlled period of time.  Daily application of energy therapy inducers to the prostate and bladder area has been proven to reduce bladder urge, the need to urinate and improve the urine flow out of the enlarged prostate. It also decreases the chance of incontinence because the bladder that is more easily emptied is less likely to overflow in an uncontrolled manner.

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PEFORMANCE REPORT 1: The objective of this limited study was 2 fold: To assess for any unexpected side effects and demonstrate physical changes in the treated gland with at home PEMF treatment.   

Results: No adverse effects were reported in 3/3 subjects. 75% of the group had baseline and 30 day followup volumetric ultrasound with 3D high resolution probes and demonstrated variable volume loss. From 2 years of experience with the given PEMF device, it is understood that these technologies are not uniformly adaptable to all patient types with the uniform probe positioning for this study and limited length of time for the procedure. A full Phase 1 study with standard urologic measurements and ultrasound measurements of: 

1‐blood flow perfusion of inflammatory microcirculation
2‐elastography of physical characteristics‐scarring or fibrosis
3‐presence of macrocalculi or change in microcalculi
4‐presence of bladder pathology (stone, tumors, postvoid residual, hypertrophy) 

CASE STUDY 1: Caucasian male, 69 years old 

SONOGRAM: RE+ right psa elevated  Comparison 7/5/23 1 month PEMF 

TIME OUT: risks/benefits/possibility of false positives discussed 

Prostate, bladder and pelvic paraprostatic  spectral Doppler vascular study was performed using  transrectal 4D  real  time b mode examination, power Doppler, spectral flows and 3D workstation analysis. This report sequence was limited to volumetric changes based on non invasive therapies.  Dre=+/‐ left  

PROSTATE VOLUME:
Base line: Previous pre‐treatment prostate vol: 104cc
After Exposure Effect: Current post treatment prostate vol: 92cc 

Vascular area: r lateral 9x7 prev 9x7 mm.  VI=1%  unchanged Vessel Index is a quantitative measure of inflammatory or malignant vessels.  Note the absence of increased vascularity in the 9x7 mm focus signifies no evidence of abnormally induced vessel related adverse effects over the one month study period.

OVERVIEW OF ENERGY INDUCTION: Both benign enlargement and increased incidence of cancer are associated with micro inflammation.  PEMF therapy may result in a reduction in kidney obstruction, a decrease in urinary symptoms and a reduced incidence in cancer as a benefit of routine use may be forthcoming.

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PSA READINGS vs IMAGING

In 1930, the PSA was developed by the University of Arizona as a rape test. It was accurate for finding and identifying semen in rape victims but it was never made to be diagnostic for prostate cancer. The 2004 Journal of Urology stated the PSA is 2% accurate in diagnosing prostate cancer definitively, which means that the digital rectal exam is at least three times more accurate than the PSA blood test in finding clinical prostate cancer. Also, in benign diseases such as prostatitis or benign enlargement with older age, the PSA level automatically rises in most patients. Therefore, the PSA lifespan has ended, much like the x-ray has ended in the use of prostate disease because we use CT MRI and ultrasound.  CT and MRI is being replaced by the imaging community is now trending to substitute 3D Doppler and elastography to scan the prostate for prostate cancer aggression and capsule integrity worldwide [4].

PEMF FOR PROSTATE HEALTH
Current research reports show that PEMF has been applied clinically in prostate therapeutic treatments [2,3]. Under the philosophy of inflammation reduction, our pilot study was designed to test PEMF performance and the patient's physiological reaction before and after treatment as we are evaluating the treatment effect in real time. 

Because we are able to calibrate the strength of the prostate bioenergy entering the body by monitoring the autonomic nervous system we were able to fine tune the therapeutic process.  So far we are having measurable success in positively addressing symptoms and (hopefully) will have proven over time a long term goal that reducing prostate inflammation also reduces the incidence of clinical prostate cancer.

It is important to note that low grade inflammation is oftentimes a precursor or potentially mixed with cancers. The possibility of reducing prostate cancer risk by using post bioenergy noninvasive protocols is something that makes clinical sense and has been widely used in other countries [5,6]. Upon the strategic design of our current pilot study, we hope to expand the scientific findings of this protocol to lead to greater use of non-invasive pulsed energy solutions for prostate and allied health problems.

References: 

1) "Enlarged Prostate" - PennMedicine.org https://www.pennmedicine.org/for-patients-and-visitors/patient-information/conditions-treated-a-to-z/enlarged-prostate#

2) "Effect of Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy on Prostate Volume and Vascularity in the Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: A Pilot Study in a Canine Model" | National Institutes of Health.- PMID: 24913937- Raffaella Leoci,* Giulio Aiudi, Fabio Silvestre, et al.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4145661/

3) "Therapeutic use of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy reduces prostate volume and lower urinary tract symptoms in benign prostatic hyperplasia"- PMID: 32090492 |  Marta Tenuta, Maria G Tarsitano, Paola Mazzotta et al. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32090492/

4) "Ultrasound & The Prostate": RadiologyInfo.org |  https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info/us-prostate#:~:text=Ultrasound%20of%20the%20prostate%20uses,whether%20the%20gland%20is%20enlarged.

5) "Prostate cancer ultrasound treatment as effective as surgery or radiotherapy", by Kate Wighton (04 July 2018). Imperial College London. https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/187086/prostate-cancer-ultrasound-treatment-effective-surgery/

6) "Mechanisms and therapeutic effectiveness of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy in oncology"- 2016 Nov 5, | PMID: 27748048 | Maria Vadalà, Julio Cesar Morales‐Medina, Et. Al. - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5119968/

ASSOCIATE CONTRIBUTOR:

Dr. JERRY DREESSEN is both Trauma Team Qualified and Hospital Qualified treating chiropractor in Mountlake Terrace, WA. He is the Executive Director for the Association of PEMF Professionals- the largest professional PEMF organization in the United States. AOPP attracts the most principled and accomplished PEMF user- setting standards by providing certification for all PEMF users, as well as Continuing Education (CEU's) for all members to maintain best practices and techniques. (www.backtoaction.com)

SPECIAL THANKS
The news feature proudly gives thanks to the AOPP (Association of PEMF Professionals) and Patrick Ziemer of Magnawave Inc. and Aura Wellness PEMF for the technical information provided for interviews and unending support to support our clinical study and educational programs about PEMF technology for chronic disorders and supportive testimonials in alternative therapeutics.   Additional special thanks to Dr. Robert Bard and  "Cousin Sal" Banchitta and Russ Allen (Wellness NOW!) for their proactive leadership in support of men's health in this review under the "Get Checked NOW!" advocacy program.