Index to Chiropractic Literature
Index to Chiropractic Literature
My ICL     Sign In
Friday, March 29, 2024
Index to Chiropractic LiteratureIndex to Chiropractic LiteratureIndex to Chiropractic Literature
Share:


For best results switch to Advanced Search.
Article Detail
Return to Search Results
ID 21031
  Title Class IV laser therapy treatment of multifactorial lumbar stenosis with low-back and leg pain: A case report
URL http://www.acatoday.org/JacaDisplay1.cfm?CID=3793
Journal JACA Online. 2010 Jan-Feb;47(1):Online access only p 10-15
Author(s)
Subject(s)
Peer Review Yes
Publication Type Case Report
Abstract/Notes Objective: This case report is presented to offer a potential intervention strategy in the treatment of resistant chronic back and leg pain with multifactorial central and foraminal stenosis.

Clinical Features: A 77-year-old female with bilateral total knee replacement (TKR) and total hip replacement (THR) presented using a walker for gait assistance and in obvious distress. She reported constant pain levels of 3 to 10 out of 10, with sharp pain across the lower back, buttocks, and posterior hips. The symptoms originally began 9 months prior, following left THR. Five epidural steroid injections failed to significantly reduce pain levels. Oxycodone was minimally effective in reducing her pain. MRI revealed L4-5 grade 1 anterolisthesis, with moderate-to-severe right foramen stenosis, mild central stenosis, and L5-S1 disc protrusion abutting the thecal sac and right S1 nerve root, establishing multiple potential pain generators.

Intervention and Outcome: Initially, the only modality utilized was the K-laser 10d Class IV therapeutic laser. Dosage was set at 9 to 10 W, continuous wave and pulsed at variable frequencies from 2 to 10,000 Hz, for each 6-to-10-minute treatment session. A 400-to-900-cm2 area of the lower lumbar and gluteal regions received 1,600 to 3,300 J total per treatment for a 1.8 to 8.2 average J/cm2. Eleven treatments in a 9-week period resolved pain on the left side and reduced the pain scale report on the right side by 50%. Prone diversified-type manual manipulation of the bilateral SI restriction was performed on the 4th visit. Pre–adjustment pressure along the intended line of drive produced no pain referrals, and no extension of the lumbar spine was permitted. This treatment was reported as aggravating and discontinued at the patient’s request. No other interventions were employed, and the patient was asked to increase physical activity as tolerated. Progressive reductions in pain allowed her to be more active, improving range of motion and general conditioning through adding activities of daily living that had been previously intolerable.

Conclusion: Class IV laser therapy may be a treatment option in patients with chronic multi-factorial low-back pain, possibly allowing for earlier active intervention and return to ADLs. Natural history influence on improvement cannot be excluded as a contributory factor in symptom reduction in this case study. Since laser therapy was initiated 9 months post-injury with ongoing symptoms, the amount of contribution is uncertain. More controlled studies with high-power laser therapy and significantly greater total doses than are possible with Class II and III lasers are necessary for a broader understanding of this emerging modality.

This abstract is reproduced with permission of the publisher. Full text is available by subscription.


   Text (Citation) Tagged (Export) Excel
 
Email To
Subject
 Message
Format
HTML Text     Excel



To use this feature you must register a personal account in My ICL. Registration is free! In My ICL you can save your ICL searches in My Searches, and you can save search results in My Collections. Be sure to use the Held Citations feature to collect citations from an entire search session. Read more search tips.

Sign Into Existing My ICL Account    |    Register A New My ICL Account
Search Tips
  • Enclose phrases in "quotation marks".  Examples: "low back pain", "evidence-based"
  • Retrieve all forms of a word with an asterisk*, also called a wildcard or truncation.  Example: chiropract* retrieves chiropractic, chiropractor, chiropractors
  • Register an account in My ICL to save search histories (My Searches) and collections of records (My Collections)
Advanced Search Tips