Some studies on Laser Therapy and neck pain.

18 Jun Some studies on Laser Therapy and neck pain.

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Neck/Back Pain and Laser Therapy

Laser therapy has been used by clinics for a long time and is a popular method of treatment. There are lightforce ex class iv lasers for sale here if you’re interested in investing in them for your clinic. They allow you to provide better treatment on a wide range of issues. These could be both on the neck and the back for patients who are seeking neck pain chiropractic help or advice.

Efficacy of low level laser therapy in myofascial pain syndrome: an algometric and thermographic evaluation.
Lasers Surg Med. 2003;33(5):339-43.
Hakguder A, Birtane M, Gurcan S, Kokino S, Turan FN.
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical Faculty of Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:
The efficacy of low level laser therapy (LLLT) in myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) seems controversial. Our aim was to clarify the effect of LLLT in MPS by using algometry and thermography.

STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Sixty-two patients with MPS having an active trigger point in the neck or upper back region were randomly divided into two equal groups according to therapy applied (group 1: LLLT + stretching exercises, group 2: stretching exercises alone). The outcome measures were pain measured with visual analogue scale (VAS), algometry on the trigger point, algometric difference, thermographic difference, and thermal asymmetry. Comparison was made within and between the groups pre- and post-therapeutically and 3 weeks after therapy.

RESULTS:
Mean pain values decreased more significantly in group 1 from baseline to 3 weeks follow up (7.54-3.06) while these values were 7.03-5.19 in group 2 (P < 0.05). Group comparisons revealed significant favorable differences in group 1 patients in terms of all other parameters at the first and the second evaluation post therapeutically (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: LLLT seemed to be beneficial for pain in MPS by using algometry and thermography. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. PMID: 14677161 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Efficacy of 904 nm gallium arsenide low level laser therapy in the management of chronic myofascial pain in the neck: a double-blind and randomize-controlled trial. Lasers Surg Med. 2004;35(3):229-35. Gur A, Sarac AJ, Cevik R, Altindag O, Sarac S. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, Dicle University, Diyarbakir, Turkey. alig@dicle.edu.trThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A prospective, double-blind, randomized, and controlled trial was conducted in patients with chronic myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) in the neck to evaluate the effects of infrared low level 904 nm Gallium-Arsenide (Ga-As) laser therapy (LLLT) on clinical and quality of life (QoL). STUDY DESIGN/PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 60 MPS patients. Patients were randomly assigned to two treatment groups: Group I (actual laser; 30 patients) and Group II (placebo laser; 30 patients). LLLT continued daily for 2 weeks except weekends. Follow-up measures were evaluated at baseline, 2, 3, and 12 weeks. All patients were evaluated with respect to pain at rest, pain at movement, number of trigger points (TP), the Neck Pain and Disability Visual Analog Scale (NPAD), Beck depression Inventory (BDI), and the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP). RESULTS: In active laser group, statistically significant improvements were detected in all outcome measures compared with baseline (P < 0.01) while in the placebo laser group, significant improvements were detected in only pain score at rest at the 1 week later of the end of treatment. The score for self-assessed improvement of pain was significantly different between the active and placebo laser groups (63 vs. 19%) (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: This study revealed that short-period application of LLLT is effective in pain relief and in the improvement of functional ability and QoL in patients with MPS. Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. PMID: 15389743 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Efficacy of low power laser therapy and exercise on pain and functions in chronic low back pain. Lasers Surg Med. 2003;32(3):233-8 Gur A, Karakoc M, Cevik R, Nas K, Sarac AJ, Karakoc M. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, Dicle University, Diyarbakir, Turkey. alig@dicle.edu.trThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine whether low power laser therapy (Gallium-Arsenide) is useful or not for the therapy of chronic low back pain (LBP). STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 75 patients (laser + exercise-25, laser alone-25, and exercise alone-25) with LBP. Visual analogue scale (VAS), Schober test, flexion and lateral flexion measures, Roland Disability Questionnaire (RDQ) and Modified Oswestry Disability Questionnaire (MODQ) were used in the clinical and functional evaluations pre and post therapeutically. A physician, who was not aware of the therapy undertaken, evaluated the patients. RESULTS: Significant improvements were noted in all groups with respect to all outcome parameters, except lateral flexion (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Low power laser therapy seemed to be an effective method in reducing pain and functional disability in the therapy of chronic LBP. Low level laser therapy with trigger points technique: a clinical study on 243 patients. J Clin Laser Med Surg. 1996 Aug;14(4):163-7 Simunovic Z.Laser Center, Locarno, Switzerland. Among the various methods of application techniques in low level laser therapy (LLLT) (HeNe 632.8 nm visible red or infrared 820-830 nm continuous wave and 904 nm pulsed emission) there are very promising "trigger points" (TPs), i.e., myofascial zones of particular sensibility and of highest projection of focal pain points, due to ischemic conditions. The effect of LLLT and the results obtained after clinical treatment of more than 200 patients (headaches and facial pain, skeletomuscular ailments, myogenic neck pain, shoulder and arm pain, epicondylitis humery, tenosynovitis, low back and radicular pain, Achilles tendinitis) to whom the "trigger points" were applied were better than we had ever expected. According to clinical parameters, it has been observed that the rigidity decreases, the mobility is restored (functional recovery), and the spontaneous or induced pain decreases or even disappears, by movement, too. LLLT improves local microcirculation and it can also improve oxygen supply to hypoxic cells in the TP areas and at the same time it can remove the collected waste products. The normalization of the microcirculation, obtained due to laser applications, interrupts the "circulus vitiosus" of the origin of the pain and its development (Melzak: muscular tension > pain > increased tension > increased pain, etc.). Results measured according to VAS/VRS/PTM: in acute pain, diminished more than 70%; in chronic pain more than 60%. Clinical effectiveness (success or failure) depends on the correctly applied energy dose–over/under dosage produces opposite, negative effects on cellular metabolism. We did not observe any negative effects on the human body and the use of analgesic drugs could be reduced or completely excluded. LLLT suggests that the laser beam can be used as monotherapy or as a supplementary treatment to other therapeutic procedures for pain treatment.

PMID: 9456632 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

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