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Adjuvant laser acupuncture in the treatment of whiplash injuries: a prospective, randomized placebo-controlled trial

Adjuvante Laserakupunktur bei der Behandlung des Schleudertraumas der Halswirbelsäule: eine prospektive, randomisierte, Placebo-kontrollierte Studie

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Zusammenfassung

Die Peitschenschlagverletzung der Halswirbelsäule ist im klinischen Alltag ein häufiges Verletzungsbild. Die verschiedenen zur Anwendung gebrachten Therapiekonzepte bringen in den meisten Fällen die Beschwerden in kurzer Zeit zum Abklingen, können jedoch nicht verhindern, dass es bei einigen Prozent der Verletzten zu chronischen Krankheiten führt. In dieser prospektiv randomisierten placebokontrollierten Einfachblindstudie wurde die Wirkung einer adjuvanten Laserakupunkturbehandlung auf die akuten Beschwerden sowie das Ergebnis 1 Jahr nach der Verletzung untersucht. Die Patienten der Gruppe 1 (Laserakupunkturgruppe, n = 23) wurden mit Laserakupunktur (5 mW HeNe Laser auf 22 Akupunkturpunkte für je 15s) sowie Schanzkrawatten und einer Kombination aus Paracetamol und dem Myotonolytikum Chlormezanon behandelt, während in der Gruppe 2 (n = 22) bei gleichem Behandlungsschema ein Placebo-Laser zur Anwendung kam. Die Behandlung wurde 3-mal pro Woche bis zur Beschwerdefreiheit durchgeführt. Es zeigte sich weder in der Akutphase im Hinblick auf die Beweglichkeit in allen 3 Ebenen, die Dauer der Schmerzen und die Tragedauer der Schanzkrawatte sowie die Medikamenteneinnahme noch in der Inzidenz von chronisch rezidivierenden Beschwerden wie myofasciale Schmerzen, Cephalea, Vertigo und Tinnitus Vorteile der Laserakupunkturbehandlung. CONCLUSION: Bei der Peitschenschlagverletzung erscheint eine adjuvante Laserakupunkturtherapie mit einem 5 mW HeNe Laser und einer Bestrahlungszeit von 15s wirkungslos.

Summary

Following introduction of the compulsory use of seat belts in cars, whiplash injuries of the cervical spine have become common in everyday practice. Current treatment approaches lead to resolution of the symptoms within a short time in most cases but cannot prevent a small proportion of patients developing persistent health problems. The effects of adjuvant treatment with laser acupuncture on the acute symptoms and the results one year after the injury were studied in this prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled single-blind study. One group of patients (n = 23) were treated with laser acupuncture (5 mW HeNe laser on 22 acupuncture points for 15 s each) plus cervical collar and a combination of paracetamol and chlormezanone; a second group (n = 22) received the same treatments but with the use of a placebo laser. The treatment was given three times per week until the patient was asymptomatic. No statistically significant advantage of the laser acupuncture treatment was found in the acute phase (mobility in all three planes, duration of pain and duration of use of a cervical collar) or the chronic phase (drug use and the incidences of chronic recurrent problems such as myofascial pain, headaches, vertigo and tinnitus). CONCLUSION: Adjuvant laser acupuncture with a 5 mW HeNe laser and an irradiation time of 15 s appears to be ineffective in the management of whiplash injuries.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedics 1, Speising Orthopedic Hospital, Vienna, Austria

    Nicolas Aigner & Christian Radda

  2. Vienna University Hospital for Traumatology, Vienna, Austria

    Christian Fialka & Vilmos Vecsei

Authors
  1. Nicolas Aigner
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  2. Christian Fialka
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  3. Christian Radda
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  4. Vilmos Vecsei
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Correspondence to Nicolas Aigner.

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Aigner, N., Fialka, C., Radda, C. et al. Adjuvant laser acupuncture in the treatment of whiplash injuries: a prospective, randomized placebo-controlled trial. Wien Klin Wochenschr 118, 95–99 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-006-0530-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-006-0530-4

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