A pilot study into the effect of low-level laser therapy in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis

Abstract

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a common inflammatory disease of the nose and paranasal sinuses that has a significant impact on patients' quality of life. No study has examined the effectiveness of applying low-level laser therapy (LLLT) locally over the sinuses in patients with CRS. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of LLLT in patients with CRS. Fifteen adult patients with CRS participated in this pilot pretest-posttest clinical study. Patients were treated with a 830-nm Ga-Al-As laser in continuous-wave mode at a power output of 30 mW and energy dose of 1 J. Laser irradiation was delivered on six points over each maxillary or frontal sinus with 33 sec irradiation for each point and a total treatment duration of 198 sec for each sinus. Patients were given LLLT three times per week for ten treatment sessions. Patients were asked to score their symptoms in accordance with a four-point scale (0-3), and a total symptom score (TSS) for each patient was calculated. Percentage improvement of TSS was considered as the primary outcome measure. TSS was calculated at baseline (T0), at 2 weeks (T1) and at 4 weeks (T2). The TSS was improved significantly at T1 (39%) and at T2 (46.34%). A large effect size for LLLT was found (ηp(2) ηp(2) = 0.63). The therapeutic effect was sustained for a mean of 5 months. This pilot study indicates that LLLT applied for 4 weeks improves symptoms in patients with CRS.

Low Level Laser Therapy: A Panacea for oral maladies

“…34) Naghdi S et al (2013) reported in a pilot study on effects of LLLT on chronic rhinosinusitis that Ga-Al-As laser (wavelength 830 nm, power output 30 mW and energy dose of 1 J, 3 times a week) in continuous-wave mode applied for 4 weeks improves symptoms. 35) Nausea/ Gag Reflex Acupuncture may be practiced with the help of LLLT. It has been proposed that a useful and risk free point on wrist known as the meridian P 6, if irradiated with laser wavelength 880 nm, an energy of about 3-5 Joules/cm 2 for a period of 1 min held in contact and perpendicular to the tissue prove to be effective in reducing gag reflex or nausea in patients.…”

Comparison of Therapeutic Effects of Intra and Extra Oral Low Level Laser Radiation in Maxillary Chronic Sinusitis

“…But there is inadequate data to promote the use of oral steroids in CRS without nasal polyps. And topical antibiotics do not show benefit in CRS without nasal polyps [6]. In the patients without anatomical obstruction, functional endoscopic surgeries are not superior to drug therapies.…”

“…Many bacteria residing on mucosal surfaces exist in a biofilm state, making them resistant to most antibiotics. The biofilm and the bacteria in mature biofilms being metabolically silent, and thus not taking up and/or metabolizing antibiotics [5] AS a result, Researchers have suggested local treatment [6]. But there is inadequate data to promote the use of oral steroids in CRS without nasal polyps.…”

“…In the patients without anatomical obstruction, functional endoscopic surgeries are not superior to drug therapies. Therefore, because of these difficulties in treating chronic sinusitis, researchers and clinicians suggested new modalities such as ultrasound therapy and laser therapy [6] Therapeutic ultrasound and laser therapy are blocking molecular communication between bacteria, inhibiting biofilm production and disrupting bacterial biofilms [6][7][8] low level laser therapy LLLT is a form of phototherapy that delivers low-power (≤500 mw) coherent and collimated beam of light of a single wavelength [6]. LLLT is attributed to non-thermal events.…”

The Effectiveness of the Polarized Low-Level Laser in the Treatment of Patients With Myofascial Trigger Points in the Trapezius Muscles

“…[6][7][8] One of the debated treatment modalities, despite its common use, is low-level laser therapy (LLLT) [9][10][11][12][13][14] that is used in the treatment of many diseases. [15][16][17][18][19][20] Imani et al and Munguia et al concluded that almost 60% of the literature between 2000 to 2018 demonstrated that LLLT was useful in reducing pain and trigger point sensitivity, improving the quality of life. 21,22 Momenzadeh et al 23 reached the same result.…”