Safety and Efficacy of Low-intensity Laser Therapy in the Treatment of Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain

This study is a multicenter, prospective, randomized, controlled research design. This study takes classic NSAIDs treatment as a control, and it will take patients' pain relief, functional improvement, sleep quality improvement, and adverse reactions as the main and secondary evaluation indicators to explore the safety and effectiveness of weak laser treatment of chronic musculoskeletal pain, determining the dominant disease in the treatment of Chronic pain.

Research purpose:

Chronic musculoskeletal pain is the most common clinical Chronic pain. Non-steroidal drugs are the most commonly used therapeutic drugs, but their effects on improving the body function are limited. At present, the pain diagnosis and treatment guidelines recommend that non-drug treatment should be used as a first-line treatment measure. Low intensity laser therapy can alleviate chronic musculoskeletal pain through multiple effects such as anti-inflammatory, promoting blood circulation, and promoting tissue repair. However, a large number of high-quality clinical studies are still needed to confirm its effectiveness. In view of this, this study aims to investigate the safety and effectiveness of dual wavelength weak laser therapy for chronic musculoskeletal pain independently developed in China, in order to clarify the clinical application value of this technology.

Research protocol:

This study is an intervention study. The participants will be assigned to different treatment groups (drug therapy group or low intensity laser therapy) to receive corresponding treatment. At the end of treatment and 1, 2, and 3 months after treatment, the researchers will evaluate treatment efficacy through a questionnaire survey.

This study will (1) compare the degree of pain relief, functional improvement, sleep quality, quality of daily life, and incidence of adverse reactions in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain after receiving weak laser therapy and NSAIDs treatment; (2) study the analgesic effect of low intensity laser therapy on different types of chronic musculoskeletal pain, and determine the advantageous disease types for this treatment.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age ≥ 18 years old;
2. Chronic musculoskeletal pain (including cervical spondylosis, periarthritis of shoulder, osteoarthritis, back muscle Fasciitis, lumbar disc herniation) was diagnosed, and the pain lasted for more than 3 months;
3. The degree of pain before treatment was mild to moderate (NRS score\<7 points);
4. Can cooperate in completing consultation and scale evaluation;
5. Sign an informed consent form.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Previous spinal surgery or severe spinal diseases (such as fractures, tumors, inflammation, and infectious diseases);
2. Suffering from serious systemic diseases, including liver and kidney dysfunction, cardio cerebral, vascular disease, decompensated metabolic syndrome;
3. Serious skin diseases (skin cancer, erysipelas, severe eczema, severe dermatitis, severe psoriasis, lupus, Hives);
4. Suffering from mental disorders, intellectual disabilities, epilepsy and other diseases;
5. Moderate to severe depressive state;
6. Have a history of drug abuse, drug abuse, and alcohol abuse;
7. Individuals with contraindications to NSAIDs or laser therapy;
8. Pregnant women;
9. Recently participated in other clinical studies.