We conducted a survey by questionnaire on the evaluation criteria, or category used for pain treatment efficacy in 110 hospitals. Results were as follows: Low level laser therapy (LLLT) was used at 72 hospitals (65.5%), of which 32 hospitals used LLLT alone and 40 hospitals used LLLT and near-infrared polarized ray (Super Lizer) therapy. The other 48 hospitals used Chinese acupuncture, anesthetic block, and oral drugs such as tranquilizers. The visual analogue scale (vas) was most widely used to evaluate pain attenuation-used by 73 hospitals (34.4%)-followed by the pain relief score (PRS)-used by 53 hospitals (25.0%). Degrees of effect were divided into 5 categories-excellent, good, fair, no change and worse-at 59 hospital (58.4%), and into 4 categories-excellent, good, no change and worse-at 36 hospitals (35.6%). Regardless of the number of classifications, most hospitals used “excellent”+“effective” as “effective”. We propose the effect of evaluating pain treatment based on therapeutic conditions as follows:
1. Radiation time per one point of about 10 seconds.
2. One therapy session of about 10 minutes.
3. Treatment frequency of 2 or 3 times per week.
4. Total therapy sessions of about 10, as determined by the therapist or physician.
5. Pain score with 10 categories.
6. Recording effects by PRS immediately after each treatment.
7. Recording continuous effects by VAS immediately after a complete course of treatment or a certain period after treatment is completed.
8. VAS rated as 0-2 for excellent and 3-5 as effective.
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