Korean J Dermatol.  1990 Feb;28(1):54-61.

Clinical Trial of Low Level Laser Therapy in 20 Patients with Postherpetic Neuralgia

• Hong JN
• Kim TH
• Ohshiro T
• Lim SD

Abstract

Postherpetic neuralgia(PHN) can be extremely debilitating condition. Treatment protocols for PHX may vary from center to center, such as conservative and intensive supportive therapeutic regimens, for example, oral medication, cutaneous nerve stimulating therapy, even acupuncture and hypnotherapy have been stressec In spite of all these measures, some 15% of PHN suffers gain little or no ra lief. Anecdotal reports have suggested that low level laser therapy(LLLT) is effective in the relief of various types of neuralgia. Rased on these, we were interested to apply LLLT for crucial condition of PHN. This is a prelirninary clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of LLLT in the treatment of the pain for well established and unrelieved PHN. In order to get more accurate result, subjective and objective criteria. were applied. The cases who showed the effectiveness in criteria of Excellent were 6/20(30 %) the cases who showed the effectiveness in criteria of Good were 3/20(15%), and the cases who showed the effectiveness in criteria of Fair were 3/20(15%). So the total cases who showed onset of the effectiveness of LLLT were 12 out of 20 cases(60%).

MeSH Terms

Acupuncture
Clinical Protocols
Humans
Low-Level Light Therapy*
Neuralgia
Neuralgia, Postherpetic*