Pulsed high-intensity laser therapy versus low level laser therapy in the management of primary dysmenorrhea.
Ali A Thabet, Anwar A Ebid, Mohamed E El-Boshy and 9 others
PMID 34539076WHAT IT FOUND
Both high-intensity and low-level laser therapies significantly reduced menstrual pain in young women, but neither was superior to the other.
Pain scores dropped in both groups, with no significant difference in pain relief or severity between the two laser types.
Key findings
01Both pulsed high-intensity laser therapy (HILT) and low-level laser therapy (LLLT) resulted in statistically significant reductions in pain severity within their respective groups.
02There was no significant difference between the two laser therapies in terms of pain reduction or the degree of pain relief achieved.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study planned to measure prostaglandin levels before and after treatment but could not do so due to the coronavirus pandemic. The sample size was small, with only 30 participants total. The study did not include a placebo or no-treatment control group, making it difficult to assess the natural variation in pain or the specific effect of the laser versus other factors.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The research received no specific grant from any funding agency, commercial enterprise, or not-for-profit institute.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that one laser therapy is more effective than the other. The study found no significant difference between high-intensity and low-level laser therapy in reducing pain or providing relief. Both modalities were similarly effective.