Comparison of high-intensity laser and low-intensity laser therapy in patients with lumbar disc herniation

Introduction: Lumbar Disc Herniation (LDH) is a fragment of the disc nucleus that is pushed out of the annulus, into the spinal canal through a tear or rupture in the annulus. The disc presses on spinal nerves, often producing pain, It is the lumbar region of the spine that often suffers from herniated discs. Nearly all herniated lumbar discs occur between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae (L4-L5) or (L5-S1). One of the most common reasons for back discomfort and even sciatica is a lumbar disc herniation. Objective: In order to better understand how effective high-intensity therapy and low-level laser therapy are for persons suffering from a herniated lumbar disc, this study compares the two treatment modalities. However, there is a lack of evaluation in previous studies. Methods: In Iraq's Al-Diwaniyah Governorate, this study was carried out at Al-Diwaniyah Teaching Hospital and Al-Hamza General Hospital. Sixty patients with Magnetic Resonance Imaging confirmed lumbar disc herniation, computed tomography (36 males and 24 females) aged between (18-65y) participated. The subjects randomly assigned to participate in one of three treatment groups: high-intensity laser therapy (1064 nm, 7 w), low-level laser therapy (904 nm, 500 mw ), or a placebo laser with exercise 10 sessions total. The visual analogue scale (VAS), the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), the Roland-Morris Disability (RMD), and the Schober's test used for evaluation the efficacy of therapy. Both pre- and post-irradiation measurements were taken. Results: According to the statistical analysis, it was found that there was a significant improvement in the group treated with HILT in the outcome measures ( VAS at rest p=0.004, VAS at activity p=0.010, ODI p=0.021, RMD p=0.036 ). As for the group that was treated with LLLT, we did not find significant differences in some parameters. Conclusion: The HILT group showed better improvement in all parameters than the LLLT group, specifically in controlling pain and returning to normal life faster. Keywords: HILT, Lumbar Disc Herniation, Low Back Pain, VAS.