Efficacy of Laser Acupuncture for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Tri-Service General Hospital

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Treatments: Device: laser phototherapy device with low level laser

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03580265

TSGHIRB: 1-107-05-062

Details and patient eligibility

About

The laser acupuncture is a new and potential intervention for the disease of peripheral nerve. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of laser acupucnture therapy on carpal tunnel syndrome.

Full description

Laser acupuncture is combined low level laser with acupuncture points. Investigators perform a prospective randomized, single-blinded study to investigate the efficacy of laser acupuncture in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. Patients were randomized into intervention and control group. Participants in intervention group received six-sessions of laser acupuncture and six-sessions of sham laser acupuncture was given in control group. All participants used wrist splint at night. The evaluation was performed pretreatment as well as on the 2th, 4th, 8th and 12th week after the treatment.

Enrollment: 40 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 20 to 80 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age between 20-80 year-old.
• Typical symptoms and signs of mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome, such as positive Tinel's sign numbness/tingling in at least 5th digits, and in whom the diagnosis was confirmed using an electrophysiological study.

Exclusion criteria

• Cancer
• Coagulopathy
• Pregnancy
• Inflammation status
• Patients who had conditions mimicking carpal tunnel syndrome, such as cervical radiculopathy, polyneuropathy, brachial plexopathy, thoracic outlet syndrome or who had previously undergone wrist surgery or steroid injection for carpal tunnel syndrome.
• There are tattoos, birthmarks and skin disorders over acupuncture points.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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40 participants in 2 patient groups

Six-sessions of laser acupuncture

Experimental group

Description:

Laser acupuncture was given three times a week for 2 weeks.

Treatment:

Device: laser phototherapy device with low level laser

Six-sessions of sham laser acupuncture

Sham Comparator group

Description:

Sham laser acupuncture was given three times a week for 2 weeks.

Treatment:

Device: laser phototherapy device with low level laser