Effects of a laser acupuncture therapy on treating pain

Wai-on Wong; Shaojun Xiao; Wing-Yuk Ip; Xia Guo

doi:10.1117/12.446704

23 October 2001 Effects of a laser acupuncture therapy on treating pain

Wai-on Wong, Shaojun Xiao, Wing-Yuk Ip, Xia Guo

Proceedings Volume 4606, Laser Florence 2000: A Window on the Laser Medicine World; (2001) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.446704
Event: Laser Florence 2000: A Window on the Laser Medicine World, 2000, Florence, Italy

Abstract

Laser acupuncture (LA) has been utilized as a combined approach of Chinese traditional acupuncture and low-level laser therapy since its emergence in 1973. Its mechanisms are not well understood and the standardization of clinical protocols has not been established. In this study, we used a diode laser to irradiate on four acupuncture points for normal subjects to investigate the effect of LA. For each point, the irradiation lasted for three minutes. The median nerve conduction velocity was measured within a 30 minutes interval at day 1, day 5, and day 10 respectively. Patients with chronic carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) were given LA therapy for three stages at most with a one-week interval between two stages. Treatment outcome measurements included patients' subjective feedback (McGill pain questionnaire, VAS) and objective measurements (physical examination, kinesiological properties and NCSs). It was a randomized single-blind controlled trial. For normal subjects, motor nerve fiber was sensitive to LA and the motor conduction velocity was decreased very significantly (p < 0.001). Besides, it was found that LA resulted that sensory nerve conduction velocity was decreased significantly when it was measured 30 minutes after the subject had received LA application. For CTS patients, the outcomes except pinch test indicated that LA could improve patient's conduction. These results suggested that LA could cause the change of nerve conduction.

Citation Download Citation

Wai-on Wong, Shaojun Xiao, Wing-Yuk Ip, and Xia Guo "Effects of a laser acupuncture therapy on treating pain", Proc. SPIE 4606, Laser Florence 2000: A Window on the Laser Medicine World, (23 October 2001); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.446704

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available