Laser Therapy for Pain of Trigeminal Neuralgia

Human subjects received irradiation of the skin overlying peripheral nerves with a helium-neon laser (1 mW. 632.5 nm. 20 Hz) for 20 s to each site. This treatment was accompanied by irradiation of the skin overlying paingul facial areas for 30–90 s according to a predetermined protocol. Control subjects received placebo treatment by an apparatus that looked identical to the laser apparatus but emitted no radiation. Laser or placebo therapy was repeated 3 times a week for 10 weeks. Subjects in the experimental group exhibited a statistically significant reduction in the intensity of pain as measured by the visual analog scale (p < 0.002) and the number of painful episodes. These results, combined with previous research. indicate that laser therapy may provide relief from some kinds of chronic pain.