Laser Therapy for Low Back Pain: Safe and Natural Alternative.
Dr. Filner, MD, shares a case report of a pediatric cancer patient with disabling low back pain.
The patient is a 14 y.o. boy with “disabling” low back pain. He tries
to play basketball for his high school, but is frequently unable to
practice or play for significant time, due to his LBP. At age 3 yrs, he
was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) and was treated with
chemotherapy. He went into remission for 3+ years, then the ALL
eturned. He was treated with another round of chemotherapy and underwent
a bone marrow transplant from his sister. This was successful, and he
remains in remission. About three years ago, he began having severe low
back pain. He was worked-up and found to have a grade 1
spondylolysthesis at L5/S1. An orthopedic surgeon proceeded to do a
spinal fusion at that level. He did OK for about a month, and then began
to have increased LBP (across the low back) which has continued to the
present. He has had two epidural blocks with steroid, physical therapy,
and chiropractic manipulation (once), none of which have helped
significantly. His pediatrician referred him to me. He had had a
neurological evaluation, and EMG, and scans, leading to a diagnosis of
radiculopathy at L4/L5 and L5/S1.
When I saw him, I did not find evidence of radiculopathy at any level.
He did have myofascial trigger points, that when inactivated with the
Microlight ML830 Low Power Laser, completely relieved his pain (the
muscles with trigger points were the quadratus lumborum, iliocostalis,
and the erector spinae at L4/5). He was a sullen and depressed teenager,
with a VAS of 8-9 when he came to my office with his parents. He left
with a VAS of 1, all smiles, and tearful parents! I treated him once
more (a VAS of 3 that went to 0-1), and on the third visit, he was back
to playing basketball without any pain, and required no treatment.
Dr. Bernard Filner, MD
Learn more about Laser Therapy for Low Back Pain at http://www.myml830.com
