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Laser therapy for fibromyositic rheumatisms
L Longo1, Z Simunovic, M Postiglione
1Institute for Laser Medicine, Florence, Italy.
Journal of Clinical Laser Medicine & Surgery
|January 1, 1997
Summary
Defocalized laser therapy offers a promising treatment for fibromyositic rheumatism, showing significant benefits in pain reduction and recovery time for many patients. This approach provides advantages over traditional methods for difficult-to-treat cases.
Area of Science:
- Medical Physics
- Rheumatology
- Biophotonics
Background:
- Fibromyositic rheumatism encompasses conditions often resistant to conventional therapies.
- Experimental studies suggested analgesic and anti-phlogistic properties of defocalized laser beams.
- Lack of standardized protocols historically hindered laser therapy comparisons.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of defocalized laser therapy for fibromyositic rheumatism.
- To identify specific indications for laser treatment in fibromyositic pathologies.
- To assess laser therapy in cases unresponsive to other treatments.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 846 patients with fibromyositic rheumatism received defocalized laser therapy between 1980 and 1995.
- Diodes and CO2 lasers were utilized to leverage photothermic and photochemical effects.
- Patient selection considered age, sex, and specific pathological presentations, with control groups for comparison.
Main Results:
- Laser therapy demonstrated superior outcomes compared to traditional methods regarding recovery speed and result durability.
- Positive results were observed in approximately two-thirds of the treated patients.
- Improvements were noted in subjective pain levels and objective measures like hypomotility and phlogosis.
Conclusions:
- Defocalized laser therapy presents significant advantages for treating fibromyositic rheumatism over existing methods.
- The treatment showed notable benefits for a substantial portion of patients with difficult-to-treat conditions.
- Further research is recommended to standardize treatment protocols for optimal outcomes.