ACTA FAC MED NAISS 2008; 25 (3): 127-131

Original article

THE USAGE OF LOW POWER LASER IN THE THERAPY OF PAIN  IN THE PATIENTS WITH ACUTE LOW BACK PAIN SYNDROME

Mandic Milan ¹
Rancic Natasa²
 

¹Clinic for Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation and Protetics, Clinical Center Nis
²Public Health Institute Nis

SUMMARY

The aim of the paper was to compare the results of pain reduction by usage of low power laser therapy (LPL) and by therapy of other physical procedures in the patients with acute lumbal pain syndrome (ALPS). The investigation involved 70 patients divided into three groups, aged 25-64 years, from the city of Nis. The first group involved 20 patients treated with the LPL with frequency of 73 Hz. The second group included 20 patients treated with the LPL with frequency of 5000 Hz. The patients from the third group were treated with electrotherapy, termotherapy and exercise. All the patients were examined before the application of laser therapy, and than they had two control examinations. The Mantel-Haensezel X2 test, t-test and the Fischer's exact probability test were used for the statistical analysis. Each patient had 10 treatments, and the intensity of pain was assessed after each third treatment, according to the four-degree scale. In the patients who were treated with the LPL with frequency of 73 Hz, the analgesic effect was obtained in 7 patients already after the fifth treatment. In the patients treated with the LPL with the frequency of 5000Hz, the analgesic effect was obtained in 4 patients. After 8 treatments, the analgesic effect was obtained in 9 patients of the first group and also in 5 patients of the second group. After 10 treatments, the analgesic effect was obtained in 18 patients (90%) of the first group and in 15 patients (75%) of the second group. In 18 patients, the analgesic effects was obtained after 7,05 treatments (SD=2,1) on average. In 15 patients of the second group, the analgesic effect was obtained after 8,04 treatments (SD=1,17) on average. The difference was statistically significant (t=2,245>t=2,03 and p<0,05, S.S=32). In the third group, the analgesic effect was obtained in 6 patients (20%) and for 17,5 average treatments. It can be concluded that the analgesic effect was obtained in a larger number of patients and for the shorter time period after the application of LPL than in patients who were not treated with the LPL. By the application of LPL with frequency of 73 Hz, the analgesic effect was obtained faster and in a larger number of patients compared with the usage of LPL with frequency of 5000 Hz. Further studies involving a larger number of patients are necessary so as to investigate the duration of the obtained analgesic effect of laser therapy.

Key words: laser therapy, low power laser, acute lumbal pain syndrome, analgesia