Laser Therapy Effective for Reducing Neck Pain

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) uses specific wavelengths of light to support tissue repair and calm irritated nerves. A 2009 systematic review in The Lancet (Chow et al.) pooled 16 randomized controlled trials on neck pain and found that LLLT reduced pain right after treatment in acute neck pain and for up to 22 weeks after treatment ended in chronic neck pain.

The reviewers also noted that the benefit showed up both when laser was used on its own and when it was combined with exercise and stretching. Dose mattered: the trials that used appropriate wavelengths and energy levels reported the clearest results.

At The Hayden Institute, light therapy is rarely used in isolation. Neck pain often involves joint restriction, muscle imbalance and nerve irritation at the same time, so the clinicians pair low-level light with chiropractic care and Quantum Neurology rehabilitation to address each piece.

Neck pain that keeps coming back deserves a closer look. To find out whether light therapy fits into a care plan, schedule an evaluation with one of the clinicians.

Reference: Chow RT, Johnson MI, Lopes-Martins RAB, Bjordal JM. Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in the management of neck pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised placebo or active-treatment controlled trials. Lancet. 2009;374(9705):1897–1908.