Abstract
Fifty cases of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) were treated with diode low power laser therapy. Two diode low power laser systems were used. One of them was model MLD-1002 (Mochida, Tokyo), a GaAlAs producing an output power 60mW at 830nm in a continuous wave and the other was model MLD-1003 (same above), a GaAlAs producing an output power 150mW at 830nm in a continuous wave. The laser was irradiated to the nueralgic area. In the case of facial neuralgy, the laser was also irradiated to the stellate ganglion area. Seventeen cases healed and sixteen cases exhibited remarkable improvements. Nine cases improved to a lesser extent and seven cases improved slightly, while one case remained no change. The rate of improvement was 84.0%and the rate of remarkable improvement was 66.0%. No clinically significant adverse effect resulting from the diode low power laser therapy was noted. Our results suggest that the diode low power laser therapy may be an effective and safe therapy for PHN.
