Effectiveness of Electric Muscle Stimulation (EMS) and Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation (TENS) in patients with overactive bladder: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Objective: To compare the outcome of the patients of Overactive Bladder with traditional treatment alone and with EMS and TENS in study groups.

Methodology: A randomized controlled trial was conducted at Ibn e Siena Hospital, Multan, spanned from October, 2019 to March, 2021 with IRB approval (Letter No. C-32-120, dated January 31, 2020). A total of 315 patients aged 35-60 years with overactive bladder symptoms were stratified into three groups i.e., Control, EMS and TENS (n=105 each). The control group received anticholinergic drugs and pelvic floor exercises, while the TENS and EMS groups received respective modalities along with conventional treatment for the duration of 12 weeks. Symptom severity was assessed using the Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS). One-way ANOVA and post hoc analysis were used for statistical comparison.

Results: All three treatments reduced symptom severity however EMS showed the highest improvement (20%), followed by TENS (9.5%) and then Control (7.6%). EMS and TENS groups showed statistically significant improvements compared to the control.

Conclusion: Neuromodulation offers a promising, noninvasive approach for managing overactive bladder (OAB). This study demonstrated that both EMS and TENS significantly reduced OAB symptoms, with EMS showing superior efficacy across all parameters. These findings support EMS as a safe and effective treatment option, particularly for patients seeking alternatives to pharmacologic or surgical interventions.