• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.85-95
• /
• 2021

Low-level laser therapy including laser acupuncture has been widely used for non-specific chronic low back pain in primary Korean medical clinics. However, there is no critically appraised data regarding which treatment conditions are most effective. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to determine effective treatment conditions using 12 databases (PubMed, Ovid, CENTRAL, KoreaMed, KMBASE, KISS, NDSL, KISTI, OASIS, CNKI, CiNII, and J-STAGE). There were 1,019 studies retrieved and 13 studies included in this review. It was determined that when the power output was ≥ 50 mW, the beam size was increased to ≥ cm², the energy dose was increased to ≥ 4 J per point, the treatment interval was increased to ≥ 3 times a week, and the number of treatment sessions was increased to ≥ 10 treatments, these conditions appeared to increased treatment effectiveness.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.18 no.6
• /
• pp.13-21
• /
• 2006

Purpose: To provide the basic method for physical therapy to contribute to early stage treatment of a burned patients. We investigated whether or not carbon arc lamp treatment and low level laser one among various laser treatments have the effect of reducing Cytokine, and to elucidate the effect of carbon arc lamp treatment and laser one. Methods: The 6-week old BALB/c types of 92 mice were used for the experimental test, and they were burned with $100^{\circ}C$ water, they were divided into 4 groups in accordance with the method of treatment respectively. And the blood and the tissue from the subject of each group were extracted and analyzed each time after they were cured for 3, 6, 9 days. For the analysis of the results, SPSS statistical program was used in this study. Results: The quantity of $TNF-{\alpha}$ and $IL-1{\beta}$ within the blood of a burned mouse increased more than that of a normal mouse(p<0.01). In only a burned mouse, carbon arc lamp treatment gave the effect on the decrease of $TNF-{\alpha}$ thickness the 6th day to the 9th day(p<0.01). $IL-1{\beta}$ quantity was more decreased than that of control group around the 6th day. In comparison with only a control group, low level laser treatment has more significant effect in decreasing the quantity of $TNF-{\alpha}$ a and $IL-1{\beta}$ than the two different methods(p<0.01). In case that the two treatment methods, carbon arc lamp treatment and low level laser, were executed together, there was the effect of decreasing $TNF-{\alpha}$ until the 6th day(p<0.01). Conclusion: Both low level laser treatment and carbon arc lamp one would be able to have an effect on the inflammation inhibition of burned patients and tissues reproduction. However, it must be also considered for the two treatments to be done at the same time.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.183-192
• /
• 2010

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical effects of low level laser therapy on shoulder pain. Methods : From October 1, 2009 to November 14, 2009, we applied 15 participants who consented to an assignment had a shoulder pain to low level laser therapy(LLLT). We treated LLLT 8 times on both upper trapezius, levator scapular, pectoralis, suboccipital, rhomboid, rotator cuff tender point for 2 weeks. To evaluate the efficiency of low level laser therapy, we used questionnaire of shoulder pain symptom, questionnaire of a day living discomfort scale, shoulder pain and disability index(SPADI) and pressure pain threshold(PPT) at before treatment and after treatment 4 times and 8 times. Results : There was a significant difference in questionnaire of shoulder pain symptom, questionnaire of a day living discomfort scale, SPADI and PPT after 8th treatment. Conclusions : Low level laser therapy for shoulder pain is effective to improve patients' symptoms measured with questionnaire of pain and a day living discomfort score, SPADI and PPT significantly.

• Medical Lasers
• /
• v.10 no.3
• /
• pp.138-145
• /
• 2021

Low-level laser therapy or photobiomodulation (LLLT/PBM) therapy has been widely applied to enhance and accelerate the recovery of oral mucositis. This study investigates the documented effect of LLLT on oral mucositis caused by chemotherapy. This review appraises 6 animal studies and 12 clinical studies published in the Pubmed database during the past 10 years, related to the application of LLLT for the treatment of mucositis. Despite varied parameters and diverse conditions, the assessed articles indicate that application of LLLT on oral mucositis using near-infrared wavelengths is prophylactic, reduces pain, and enables a rapid recovery. Various combined treatments were also identified among the published papers, which further establishes the efficacy of LLLT as a viable treatment.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
• /
• v.6 no.4
• /
• pp.170-175
• /
• 2017

Objective: The anti-inflammatory effects of low-level laser in burn wound model in rats were investigated. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: The rats were assigned to three experimental groups. Group I received second-degree burn wounds; Group II received dressing film and low-level laser ($1.2J/cm^2$) treatment after a burn wound; Group III received dressing film and low-level laser ($2.3J/cm^2$) treatment after a burn wound. After inducing a deep second-degree burn wound, the wound was observed every day and the burn area diameter and retraction quantification at 1, 7, and 14 days were evaluated. Low-level laser was investigated on hematological parameters after 14 days. Effects of low-level laser on the inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ [$TNF-{\alpha}$] and interleukin-6 [IL-6]) concentrations in the serum were evaluated using immunosorbent assay kits. Results: Group III showed a significant difference in wound size on days 7 and 14 compared to Group I (p<0.05). Group II showed a significant difference in wound size on day 14 compared to Group I (p<0.05). For wound contraction percentage, both laser therapy treatment groups showed a significant difference compared with Group I (p<0.05). There was also a significant difference in wound contraction percentage in Group III compared to Group II (p<0.05). Compared with the model control group, decreased $TNF-{\alpha}$ and IL-6 levels in the serum was observed at 14 days after burn wound induction. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that low-level laser therapy can assist in burn wound healing, which might be associated with decreased concentrations of $TNF-{\alpha}$ and IL-6 related proinflammatory cytokines.

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
• /
• v.15 no.4
• /
• pp.373-379
• /
• 2011

Current therapeutic methods for suppressing muscle spasticity are intensive functional training, surgery, or pharmacological interventions. However, these methods have not been fully supported by confirmed efficacy due to the aggravation of the muscle spasticity in some patients. In this study, a combined system was developed to treat with a low-level laser and to monitor the region of the treatment using an optical spectroscopic probe that measures oxygen saturation and deoxygenation during low-level laser therapy (LLLT). The evaluation of the wavelength dependence for LLLT was performed using a Monte Carlo simulation and the results showed that the greatest amount of heat generation was seen in the deep tissue at ${\lambda}$ = 830 nm. In the oxy- and deoxygenation measurements during and after the treatment, oxygen-Hb concentration was significantly increased in the laser-irradiated group when compared to the control group. These findings suggest that LLLT using ${\lambda}$ = 830 nm may be of benefit in accelerating recovery of muscle spasticity. The combined system that we have developed can monitor the physiological condition of muscle spasticity during the laser treatment in real time and may also be applied to various myotonia conditions such as muscle fatigue, back-pain treatment/monitoring, and ulcer due to paralysis.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.51-55
• /
• 1991

There is a variety of therapeutic modality for herniated nucleus pulposus. Recently the low level laser has come into use for treatment for it. We treated two patients suffered from herniated nucleus pulposus of the central type of $L_{3,4}$ level, with He-Ne, $CO_2$ and Ga Al As laser simultaneously daily under hospitalization. In order to determine the efficacy of treatment, we used the "visual analogue scale" and its improvement rate. The results were as follows; Case I complained of gait disturbance, and hypoesthesia on the lateral side of the left lower leg, as and as low back pain. At the 15th day after treatment, VAS improvement rate was 40%, and the gait disturbance and hypoesthesia were markedly improved. 35th days after tratement, VAS improvement rate was 80%. Case II complained only of low back pain. At the 15th day after treatment, the VAS improvement rate was 68%, and at 20 days after treatment it was 84%. We sugsest that, using the low level laser for treatment of herniated nucleus pulposus increased the cartilage entrophism, and inhibitory effects of the inflammatory materials such as acid glycosaminoglycan by its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.19-27
• /
• 2022

Background: Myofascial pain dysfunction syndrome (MPDS) is the most common type of temporomandibular disorder. This study compared the efficacies of low-level diode laser therapy (LLLT) and laser acupuncture therapy (LAT) in the treatment of MPDS. Methods: This double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial included 24 patients with MPDS who were randomly divided into two equally sized groups. Patients in the LLLT group received 12 sessions of low-level diode laser irradiation applied to the trigger points of the masticatory muscles during 1 month. The same protocol was also used in the LAT group according to the specific trigger points. We measured pain intensity and maximum mouth opening in both groups at baseline, during treatment, and 2 months after treatment completion. Results: The pain intensities decreased from 6.58±1.31 to 0.33±0.65 and from 7.08 ± 1.37 to 0 in the LLLT and LAT groups, respectively. The maximum mouth openings increased from 32.25 ± 8.78 mm to 42.58 ± 4.75 mm and from 33 ± 6.57 mm to 45.67 ± 3.86 mm in the LLLT and LAT groups, respectively. Pain intensity (P = 0.839) and level of maximum mouth opening (P = 0.790) did not differ significantly between the groups. Conclusion: Our results showed similar efficacy between LLLT and LAT in the treatment of MPDS signs and symptoms.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
• /
• v.51 no.5
• /
• pp.313-320
• /
• 2021

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of chewing gum and low-level laser therapy in alleviating orthodontic pain induced by the initial archwire. Methods: Patients with 3-6 mm maxillary crowding who planned to receive non-extraction orthodontic treatment were recruited for the study. Sixty-three participants (33 females and 30 males) were randomly allocated into three groups: laser, chewing gum, and control. In the laser group, a gallium aluminum arsenide (GaAlAs) diode laser with a wavelength of 820 nm was used to apply a single dose immediately after orthodontic treatment began. In the chewing gum group, sugar-free gum was chewed three times for 20 minutes-immediately after starting treatment, and at the twenty-fourth and forty-eighth hours of treatment. Pain perception was measured using a visual analog scale at the second, sixth, and twenty-fourth hours, and on the second, third, and seventh days. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the groups at any measured time point (p > 0.05). The highest pain scores were detected at the twenty-fourth hour of treatment in all groups. Conclusions: Within the limitations of the study, we could not detect whether low-level laser therapy and chewing gum had any clinically significant effect on orthodontic pain. Different results may be obtained with a higher number of participants or using lasers with different wavelengths and specifications. Although the study had a sufficient number of participants according to statistical analysis, higher number of participants could have provided more definitive outcomes.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.11-20
• /
• 2001

Objective: As early as 1967, professor Endre Mester's group published the first scientific report concerning the effects of low level laser therapy (LLLT) on the skin of rats. After that, there have been some two thousand research reports from many countries in which the biological effects of low level lasers have been demonstrated. We reviewed some theses about LLLT published in Korea recently, and we make a proposal concerning the new method of study using LLLT in Oriental Medicine. Methods: We have selected 12 medical theses about low level laser therapy published in Korean Oriental Medicine journals recently, reviewed them, and investigated their methods. Results and Conclusion: There were several clinical studies in Korea about hyperlipidemia, hypercholesteremia, hyperfibrinogenemia, hyperlipoproteinemia, headache, dizziness, stroke, pain and numbness published from 1996 to 2000 using LLLT. The number of theses of good quality is showing a tendency to increase, recently. Sooner or later LLLT will be a very useful treatment and we believe that it will be an alternative useful method in Oriental Medical fields. There have been some negative public opinions about LLLT voiced in the Korean Oriental Medical society recently, but we expect a positive re-evaluation of this new treatment within Oriental Medicine in the near future.