Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the effect of non-invasive NESA neuromodulation compared to posterior tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) in patients with an overactive bladder (OAB), also given the same exercises and patient education, on quality of life, symptoms, discomfort and sleep quality. Method: Twenty-four women, aged 38-85 years with OAB, were included in this preliminary randomized controlled trial. Each patient attended ten sessions, twice a week. Patient pelvic floor function and urinary incontinence symptoms were collected throughout ICIQ-SF and B-SAQ questionnaires. Patient QoL and sleep quality were reported using SF-36 and PSQI, respectively. All outcomes were measured using three assessments: previous treatment (T1), immediately after treatment (T2) and two-month follow-up (T3). Results: Both groups showed significant improvements in pelvic floor function and urinary incontinence symptoms, as well as in sleep quality (p < 0.05). Although no significant differences between the groups were observed for any of the variables (p > 0.05), only the NESA group showed compelling improvements in quality of life (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The two treatments improved OAB symptoms, discomfort, and sleep quality in the short term yet only the non-invasive NESA group improved quality of life in women with OAB. These findings warrant further investigation in larger trials.
Journal of clinical medicine. 2025 Dec 16*** epublish ***
Paloma M Blasco-Bonora, Raquel Medina-Ramírez, Blanca Gisela Pardo-Sievers, Elena Muñoz-Gómez, Marta Inglés, Laura Fuentes-Aparicio
Clínica de Fisioterapia L'estiuet, Carrera Malilla, 78, 46026 Valencia, Spain., Soc-Dig Research Group, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35001 Las Palmas, Spain., University Clinical Hospital of Valencia, Av. de Blasco Ibáñez, 17, El Pla del Real, 46010 Valencia, Spain., Research Unit in Clinical biomechanics (UBIC), Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Physiotherapy, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain., Physiotherapy in Motion, Multispeciality Research Group (PTinMOTION), Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Physiotherapy, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain.