Evaluation of β-endorphin concentration, mood, and pain intensity in men with idiopathic hip osteoarthritis treated with variable magnetic field

Abstract

Osteoarthritis is the most frequently diagnosed disease of the musculoskeletal system. Growing number of patients waiting for surgical treatment and the possible negative consequences resulting from long-term pharmacological therapy lead to the search for non-pharmacological methods aimed at alleviating pain and reducing doses of analgesics, among them physical therapy with use of magnetic fields. The study involved 30 men aged 49 to 76 (mean age, 61.7 years) treated for idiopathic osteoarthritis of the hip joint. The subjects were divided into 2 groups (15 patients each) and underwent a cycle of magnetostimulation and magnetoledtherapy procedures, respectively. During the exposure cycle concentrations of β-endorphin were assessed 3 times and the mood was assessed 2 times. In addition, the assessment of pain intensity and the dose of analgesic drugs was performed before and after the end of therapy. Statistically significant increase in plasma β-endorphins concentration was observed in both groups of patients (magnetostimulation— P < .01 vs magnetoledtherapy— P < .001). In the assessment of mood of respondents, no statistically significant differences were found. Significant reduction in intensity of perceived pain was observed in both groups of patients ( P < .05). In the group of patients who underwent magnetoledtherapy cycle, the analgesic drug use was significantly lower by 13% ( P < .05) as compared with initial values, which was not noted in group of patients who underwent magnetostimulation procedures. The use of magnetic field therapy in the treatment of men with idiopathic osteoarthritis of hip joints causes a statistically significant increase in the concentration of plasma β-endorphins resulting in statistically significant analgesic effect in both magnetostimulation and magnetoledtherapy treated groups of patients, with accompanying decrease of need for analgetic drugs in magnetoledtherapy group, but without any significant changes regarding the patient's mood.

The effect of epidural magnesium sulphate on postoperative nociception and serum B endorphin levels in high tibial osteotomy orthopedic surgery

“…Moreover, some clinical researches showed that higher plasma BE predicts greater subsequent acute pain intensity and that higher BE levels could be a marker for enhanced endogenous opioid analgesia. [27,28] The mechanism of how magnesium exerts it analgesic action is still unclear. A popular theory is that the anti-nociceptive actions is the result of its inhibition of the NMDA receptor.…”

Does balneotherapy provide additive effects to physical therapy in patients with subacute supraspinatus tendinopathy? A randomized, controlled, single-blind study

“…Also, its benefits on pain and joint stiffness at the cellular-molecular level have been shown. (Kurt et al 2016 ; Koczy et al 2019 ; Fioravanti et al 2011 ), Balneotherapy provides analgesic effects by preventing the stimulation of nociceptive receptors, reducing pain transmission through the gate control theory of pain stimulating thick nerve-fibers, removing oxygen radicals, and increasing beta-endorphin levels in particular (Yurtkuran et al 1993 ; Koczy et al 2019 ; Tishler et al 2004 ; Bender et al 2005 ; Hizmetli and Hayta 2011 ). Again in the literature, it has been shown that balneotherapy treatments decrease inflammation and, ultimately, pain by increasing anti-inflammatory cytokines (Shehata et al 2006 ).…”