Regulation of Inflammatory Responses by Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields

Abstract

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy has been shown to have substantial suppressive effects on inflammation and is a promising treatment for the modulation of inflammation. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that PEMFs profoundly suppress inflammatory pathways, such as the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways, by lowering cytokine levels and improving extracellular matrix synthesis. This review describes studies, ranging from in vitro to clinical, that investigate the lesser-known roles of PEMF in the modulation of inflammation in soft tissue wound, cartilage, and joint healing, alongside angiogenesis. Mechanistically, PEMFs act via adenosine receptors, specifically A2A, which play a key role in inflammation modulation and tissue repair. In some clinical trials, PEMF has yielded short-term symptom relief and functional improvements in early-stage osteoarthritis patients, arthroscopy patients, and anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction patients.