23
Low-Level Laser Therapy Provides Short-Term Pain Relief for Chronic Low Back Pain
Full Title
Low-Level Laser Therapy for Chronic Non-Specific Low Back Pain: A Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials
Summary
This meta-analysis reviewed 15 randomized controlled trials involving 1,039 participants to evaluate the efficacy of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) for chronic non-specific low back pain (CNLBP). Results showed a significant short-term reduction in pain, particularly in studies using at least 3 Joules per point and in patients with pain lasting less than 30 months. Global assessment of improvement also favored laser therapy at immediate follow-up. However, the benefits were only observed in trials that did not use an acupuncture-based laser approach. The study concludes that LLLT may provide short-term relief for CNLBP, but further high-quality, blinded trials are needed to confirm its effectiveness.