Neck pain
Low-level laser therapy for neck pain systematic review and meta-analysis
Chow RT, Johnson MI, Lopes-Martins RA, et al. The Lancet. 2009.
A meta-analysis of neck pain trials found pain reduction with LLLT compared with placebo or active control.
Evidence grade
moderate
Effect direction
positive
Panel relevance
partially-replicable
Key findings
- The review identified 16 randomized trials with 820 patients.
- Chronic neck pain trials showed improved pain outcomes with LLLT.
- Follow-up data suggested relief could persist for 1-22 weeks after treatment completion.
Protocol details
| Wavelengths | Not reported nm |
|---|---|
| Irradiance | Not reported mW/cm2 |
| Fluence | Not reported J/cm2 |
| Session time | Not reported minutes |
| Frequency | Varied by trial |
| Duration | Varied by trial |
| Treatment area | Neck pain sites |
| Device type | Low-level laser therapy |
Caveats
- Clinical point-laser dosing is only partially comparable to panel exposure.
- Neck pain has many causes; red light content should avoid diagnosis or treatment claims.