Results of laser-acupuncture in carpal tunnel syndrome - a prospective; randomised and blinded study

Objective

Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most frequent peripheral nerve compression syndrome. It’s causal therapy consists in surgical decompression of the nerve in the carpal tunnel. For in many hospitals there are waiting periods of several months, an effective analgetic therapy is needed in the meantime. In this prospective, randomised and single blinded study the authors tried to investigate, if a soft-laser acupuncture showed a benefit in the preoperative treatment of patients suffering from carpal-tunnel syndrome.

Materials and method

In one group (n = 13) the acupuncture points P 6, P 7, P 8, TB 5, SI 6, H 7 and the ear acupuncture points 55 and 67 were irradiated with 5mW helium/neon soft-laser light (laser acupuncture) while in the other group (n = 13) the same procedure was performed with a placebo laser.

Patients were explorated before and after the laser treatment, preoperatively and 3 months after the operation.

Results

Significant improvement could be found preoperatively concerning pain suffered during the night in the verum group whereas paresthesia did not show any change in both groups. Postoperatively the 2 groups showed no differences.

Conclusion

Laser acupuncture seems to be a helpfull method in the preoperative pain-treatment in patients suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome.