A pilot study investigating using a Therapeutic Wand for BPS - V1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A pilot study investigating the use of a therapeutic wand in addition to physiotherapy for bladder pain syndrome
IRAS ID
198020
Contact name
Jillian Bond
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Bradford
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 13 days
Research summary
Does the use of a Therapeutic Wand in addition to standard physiotherapy treatment for women with bladder pain syndrome improve symptoms more than standard physiotherapy alone?\n\nBladder pain syndrome is defined as pain throughout the pelvis with bladder filling along with a persistent urge to release urine (Fall et al, 2010). Treatment focuses on managing symptoms as there is no cure, and quality of life is devastatingly affected. It is widely agreed that pelvic floor spasm is partly responsible for pain and bladder symptoms, as evidence shows that if the muscle spasm is not released pain continues after bladder treatment. Providing intra-vaginal massage to the pelvic floor is a routine and effective treatment used widely by specialist physiotherapists to reduce symptoms, and is promoted in international guidelines. A therapeutic wand is used routinely (Anderson et al, 2011) to allow patients to perform internal massage at home, and has been found effective in men with chronic pelvic pain (Anderson et al., 2011). However, its efficacy is untested in women with bladder pain syndrome despite its frequent clinical use.\n\nThis study aims to determine the feasibility of a randomised controlled trial assessing any difference in participants using A TheraWand® alongside standard physiotherapy,. A volunteer sample of ten symptomatic women with bladder pain syndrome will be randomised into two groups. Both groups will receive six weeks of standard pelvic floor treatment by a specialist physiotherapist in a private hospital setting and one group will also use a TheraWand® independently at home. Questionnaires regarding bladder symptoms, quality of life, therapeutic wand use, and a measure of pelvic floor tension will be gathered at baseline assessment, during six weeks of treatment and six weeks following treatment. Participants will keep a diary of therapeutic wand TM use for 3 months to ascertain compliance with treatment.\n
REC name
Wales REC 5
REC reference
16/WA/0100
Date of REC Opinion
19 Apr 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion