Department of Dermatology, Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission General Hospital, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Management, Shifa International Hospital Islamabad, Islamabad, Capital Territory, Pakistan.
Lasers Med Sci. 2020 Oct;35(8):1759-1764. doi: 10.1007/s10103-020-02969-5. Epub 2020 Jan 31.
The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of low-level laser radiation at a wavelength of 650 nm for treating post-herpetic neuralgia, an extremely painful condition which frequently occurs severely in old age and may persist for years with no predictable course. In total, fifteen patients were included in the present study, out of which 8 were females and 7 were males aged between 42 and 82 years. All patients were treated through 16 sessions for 8 weeks, and pain scoring was done on a visual analogue scale and statistical analysis was made for comparison before and after treatments. The final pain score was 0 in 11 patients although their initial pain score was severe in 8 and moderate in 3 patients. In three patients, pain reduced to mild intensity (2-3), and in one, the final pain score was 4 on the visual analogue scale. Patients treated during the present study have not complained for recurrence of pain or any other abnormality even after many months since completion of the therapy. Overall, low-level laser therapy (LLLT) proved itself an excellent therapeutic modality for the relief of pain in post-herpetic neuralgia patients, which may replace pain management medicines in future.
本研究的目的在于探讨低水平激光辐射（波长 650nm）治疗带状疱疹后神经痛的影响。带状疱疹后神经痛是一种极其疼痛的病症，在老年人群中发病率极高，且可能持续数年，无明显规律可循。本研究共纳入 15 名患者，其中女性 8 名，男性 7 名，年龄在 42 岁至 82 岁之间。所有患者均接受了 16 次 8 周的治疗，通过视觉模拟评分法进行疼痛评分，并在治疗前后进行统计学分析。11 名患者的最终疼痛评分为 0，尽管其中 8 名患者的初始疼痛评分为重度，3 名患者为中度。3 名患者的疼痛减轻至轻度（2-3），1 名患者的最终疼痛评分为视觉模拟评分法的 4 分。本研究中接受治疗的患者在完成治疗后数月内，均未出现疼痛复发或其他异常情况。总的来说，低水平激光疗法（LLLT）已被证明是一种治疗带状疱疹后神经痛患者疼痛的有效治疗方法，在未来可能替代止痛药物。
