Low-Energy Shockwave Therapy for Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome From Bench to Clinic.

There is no effective and durable treatment for patients with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS). There is thus an urgent medical need to develop a novel treatment for it. Low-energy shockwave (LESW) therapy, a nondrug treatment, is known to exert anti-inflammatory, pain-reducing, and tissue-regenerating effects. LESW therapy has been widely used in orthopedics, sports medicine, and urology, with a high safety profile. Previous animal studies on a rat model of interstitial cystitis revealed that LESW therapy can reduce bladder inflammation and pain, while also facilitating tissue regeneration. In addition, LESW therapy can temporarily increase mucosal permeability and enhance the efficacy of intravesical drug delivery. Clinical trials of LESW therapy on IC/BPS have also demonstrated that it has therapeutic effects in terms of pain control and amelioration of IC/BPS symptoms without side effects. This review explores the potential of LESW therapy as a novel modality for treating IC/BPS from the bench to the clinic.