Physiotherapy for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome in men: a systematic review

The goal of this study is to conduct a systematic review of physiotherapeutic interventions used in management of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). Following established guidelines for reporting a systematic review, the two authors conducted independently searches of medical databases for studies assessing the effectiveness of physiotherapy in cases of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. This literature search was carried out from June to July 2022. After screening databases and applying eligibility criteria, the authors included 13 studies in the final analysis, covering a total of 600 patients suffering from chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. Acupuncture and physical therapy (shockwave therapy and magnetic field stimulation) were found to be the most common physiotherapeutic interventions used in the qualifying studies. Physiotherapy is an increasingly popular non-pharmacological mode of intervention for treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction, including among men. This is due to the increasing effectiveness and safety of the physiotherapeutic treatments used. However, there is at present a lack of studies of sufficiently high methodological quality to be used as a basis for specific recommendations and guidelines for physiotherapeutic management of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.