Comparison of the efficacy of high intencity laser therapy (HILT), ultrasound ans medical treatment in lumbar discopathy

Lumbar region is the most common localization that musculoskeletal pain is seen. Approximately 80% of people living in industrialized countries feel low back pain in a part of their lives. Lumbar disc pathology which is important in the etiology of low back pain is quite common. 61,94% of all vertebral disc pathology is in the lumbar region. The aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of HILT replacing in the current treatments, ultrasound and medical treatment in lumbar disc herniation. This study included outpatients and inpatients who met the criterias of the study of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic in Abant Izzet Baysal University. The diagnosis was made by history, physical examination and imaging results. A total of 65 patients diagnosed with lumbar disc herniation with the certainty of lumbar MRI in the last one year were included in this study. The patients were randomly seperated into three groups and treated with 10 sessions of HILT+ lumbar isometric exercise, 10 sessions of ultrasound+ lumbar isometric exercise and 10 days medical treatment (NSAID)+ lumbar isometric exercise in groups 1,2 and 3 respectively. All patients were evaluated with VAS, Oswestry scale, SF-36 before and after treatment. The efficacy of the treatments were compared according to the obtained data. As a result of the study, when the values before and after treatment in all three treatment groups were compared, statistically significant difference were found. (p <0,05). But there is no statistically significant difference were found among all three groups (p>0,05). As a result; HILT, ultrasound and medical treatment in lumbar disc herniation are effective in the short term. Further studies including larger patients and control groups and evaluating the treatments' long term effects are needed for this topic.