Acta Scientific Orthopaedics (ISSN: 2581-8635)

Review Article Volume 3 Issue 4

Role of Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) on Myofascial Trigger Point in and around Neck – A Review

Dheeraj Lamba*

Associate Professor, Faculty of Physiotherapy, Institute of Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia

*Corresponding Author: Dr. Dheeraj Lamba, Associate Professor, Faculty of Physiotherapy, Institute of Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.

Received: March 03, 2020; Published: March 12, 2020

×

Abstract

  Myofascial trigger point (MTP) is a characteristic of myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) which is the most common muscle pain disorder. MPS is pain arising from one or more trigger points (TP) which are hyperirritable spots in skeletal muscle that are associated with hypersensitive palpable nodule in taut bands. There are lots of perpetuating factors for MTPs which can be divided under many heads like poor posture, muscle injury, nutritional inadequacies, metabolic or endocrine disorders, psychological factors, chronic injury, impaired sleep radiculopathy allergies and chronic visceral diseases. The major goal of any therapy is to relieve pain and increase functional ability. Currently used therapy includes various methods out of which low level laser therapy (LLLT) is one of the most common. LLLT can produce pain relief by one or a combination of these mechanisms – collagen proliferation, anti-inflammatory effect, circulation enhancement, and peripheral nerve stimulation. There has been a contrary evidence for the significant role of LLLT in musculoskeletal disorders, therefore it is up to the physical therapist to use LLLT in the clinical setup under available evidence based protocols for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders particularly myofascial trigger points in and around neck.

Keywords: Myofascial Trigger Point (MTP); Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS), Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT); Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAID); Gallium Aluminum Arsenide (Ga-As-Al); Helium Neon (He-Ne)

×

References

  1. Simon DG and Travell JG. “Myofascial pain and dysfunction, the trigger point manual, upper half of body, 2nd edition”. Baltimore, William and Wilkins 1 (1999).
  2. Joanne Borg- Stein and David G. “Myofascial pain: A focused review”. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 83.1 (2002): 40-47.
  3. Noramn B Rosen. “The Myofascial Pain Syndrome”. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America 4 (1993): 41-63.
  4. Robert G Klein and Bjorn. “Low energy laser treatment and exercise for chronic low back pain: A double blind controlled trial”. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 71 (1990): 34-37.
  5. Leesa K and Huguenin. “Myofascial trigger points: the current evidence”. Physical Therapy in Sport 5 (2004): 2-12.
  6. Gur A., et al. “Efficacy of 904 nm Gallium Arsenide low level laser therapy in the management of chronic myofascial pain in the neck: A double-blind and randomize-controlled trial”. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine 35.3 (2004): 229-235. 
  7. Chang-Zern Hong. “Pathophysiology of Myofascial Trigger Point”. Journal of the Formosan Medical Association 95.12 (1996): 93-104.
  8. James R Friction., et al. “Myofascial pain syndrome of the head and neck: A review of clinical characteristics of 164 patients”. Oral Surgery 60.6 (1985): 616-623.
  9. Liisa Laakso., et al. “Factors affecting Low level laser therapy”. Australian Journal of Physiotherapy 39.2 (1993): 95-99.
  10. William P Hanten., et al. “Effectiveness of a home programe of Ischemic Compression by sustained stretch for treatment of Myofascial Trigger Point”. Physical Therapy 80.10 (2000): 997-1003.
  11. Lynn Synder-Mackler., et al. “Effect of Helium Neon Laser on Musculoskeletal Trigger Points”. Physical Therapy 66.7 (1986): 1087-1090.
  12. Arne Nyholm Gam., et al. “The effect of low level laser therapy on musculoskeletal pain: A Meta-analysis”. Pain 52 (1993):  63-66.
  13. Hakguder A., et al. “Efficacy of low level laser therapy in myofascial pain syndrome: An algometric and thermographic evaluation”. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine 33 (2003):  339-343.
  14. Ali Gur., et al. “Efficacy of low power laser therapy and exercise on pain and functions in chronic low back pain”. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine 32 (2003): 233-238.
  15. Shigeo Toya., et al. “Report on a computer randomized double blind clinical trial to determine the effectiveness of the Ga-Al-As (830 nm) Diode laser for pain attenuation in selected pain groups”. Laser Therapy 6 (1994):  143-148.
  16. Leon Chaitow and Judith Walker DeLany. “Clinical Application of Neuromuscular Techniques”. The upper body, Trigger Points, Churchill Livingstone 1 (2000): 65-84.
  17. Roberta T Chow., et al. “A pilot study of low power laser therapy in management of chronic neck pain”. Journal of Musculoskeletal Pain 12.2 (2004): 71-81.
  18. Altan L., et al. “Investigation of the effect of GaAs laser therapy on cervical myofascial pain syndrome”. Rheumatology International 25.1 (2003): 23-27.
  19. Lale Altan., et al. “Low-Power Laser treatment for shoulder pain”. Photomedicine and Laser Surgery 23.5 (2005): 459-464.
  20. O Komiyama., et al. “Posture correction as part of behavioral therapy in treatment of myofascial pain with limited opening”. Journal of Oral Rehabilitation 26 (1996): 428-435.
  21. Anette Kaergaard and Johan H Anderson. “Musculoskeletal disorders of the neck and shoulders in female sewing machine operators: Prevalence, incidence and prognosis”. Occupational and Environmental Medicine 57 (2000): 528-534.
  22. Joan McMeeken and Barry Stillman. “Perceptions of clinical efficacy of laser therapy”. Australian Journal of Physiotherapy 39 (1993): 101-107.
  23. Jan M Bjordal., et al. “A systematic review of low level laser therapy with location – specific doses for pain from chronic joint disorders”. Australian Journal of Physiotherapy 49 (2003): 107-116.
  24. John DF Allendorf., et al. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine 20 (1997): 340-345.
  25. John Low and Ann Reed. “Electrotherapy Explained: Principles and Practice, 3rd edition., Laser Therapy”. Butterworth Heinemann (2000): 356-375.
  26. George W. Waylonis., et al. “Chronic Myofascial Pain: Management of low output Helium Neon laser therapy”. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 69 (1988): 1017-1020.
  27. F Ceccgerelli., et al. “Diode laser in cervical myofascial pain: A double blind study versus placebo”. The Clinical Journal of Pain 5 (1989):  301-304.
  28. Lars Bendtsen., et al. “Qualitatively altered nociception in chronic myofascial pain”. Pain 65 (1996): 259-264.
  29. J Walker. “Relief from chronic pain by low power laser irradiation”. Neuroscience Letters 43 (1983):  339-344.
  30. Simunovic Z. “Low level laser therapy with trigger points technique: A clinical study on 243 patients”. Journal of Clinical Laser Medical Surgery 14.4 (1996): 163-167.
  31. Hans Jorgen Hansen and Ulla Thoroe. “Low power laser biostimulation of chronic oro-fascial pain. A double blind placebo controlled cross over study in 40 patients”. Pain 43 (1990): 169-179.
  32. Dheeraj lamba. “Comparison of Helium Neon Laser with Gallium Arsenide Laser Therapy on Pain and Functional Ability in Patients with Trigger Point (Upper Trapezius Muscle)”. Indian Journal of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy 3.2 (2009): 6-11.
  33. Ali Gur., et al. “Efficacy of different therapy regimes of low power laser in painful osteoarthritis of the knee: a double blind and randomized controlled trial”. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine 33 (2003): 330-338.
  34. Dheeraj Lamba. “Comparison of Two Different Photo Bio Stimulations on Pain and Functional Ability in Patients with Myofascial Trigger Points (Levator Scapulae Muscle)”. International Journal of Medical Research and Health Sciences 8.7 (2019):  22-29.
×

Citation

Citation: Dheeraj Lamba. “Role of Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) on Myofascial Trigger Point in and around Neck – A Review". Acta Scientific Orthopaedics 3.4 (2020): 24-28.




Metrics

Acceptance rate33%
Acceptance to publication20-30 days

Indexed In



News and Events


  • Certification for Review
    Acta Scientific certifies the Editors/reviewers for their review done towards the assigned articles of the respective journals.
  • Submission Timeline for Upcoming Issue
    The last date for submission of articles for regular Issues is December 25, 2024.
  • Publication Certificate
    Authors will be issued a "Publication Certificate" as a mark of appreciation for publishing their work.
  • Best Article of the Issue
    The Editors will elect one Best Article after each issue release. The authors of this article will be provided with a certificate of "Best Article of the Issue"

Contact US