Trans-perineal pumpkin seed oil phonophoresis as an adjunctive treatment for chronic nonbacterial prostatitis

BACKGROUND: A significant number of men who are younger than 50 years visit urologists for interminable prostatitis. This study aimed to thoroughly investigate the effect of pumpkin seed oil (PSO) phonophoresis on chronic nonbacterial prostatitis (CNBP). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Sixty patients with CNBP were randomly assigned to three groups: Group A, wherein patients were treated with PSO using phonophoresis; Group B, where patients underwent transperineal continuous low-intensity ultrasound (LIUS); and Group C, wherein patients underwent placebo LIUS. All three groups received their corresponding treatments daily for up to 3 weeks. The NIH-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI), residual urine determined by urodynamic measurements, and flow rate were used to analyze study outcomes. The white blood cell (WBC) count in the prostatic secretion was determined. RESULTS: Comparisons of the intragroup mean values of all measurements in Groups A and B before and after the end of the treatment showed a significant improvement in residual urine, flow rate, WBC count, and NIH-CPSI (p < 0.05), whereas no significant change was found in Group C (p > 0.05). Between-group comparisons of all variables showed a significant difference was found after intervention (p < 0.05). Postintervention comparisons between Groups A and B showed a significant difference in all measurements, except for WBC, in favor of Group A. Comparing the changes between Groups A and C, a significant difference was found in all measurements (p < 0.05). Furthermore, all parameters differed significantly when comparing Groups B and C (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The current study showed that PSO phonophoresis can produce a significant effect in the management of CNBP and can, therefore, be considered a safe, noninvasive method for the treatment of CNBP.