Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Conditions
Brief summary
The laser acupuncture is a new and potential intervention for the disease of peripheral nerve. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of laser acupucnture therapy on carpal tunnel syndrome.
Detailed description
Laser acupuncture is combined low level laser with acupuncture points. Investigators perform a prospective randomized, single-blinded study to investigate the efficacy of laser acupuncture in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. Patients were randomized into intervention and control group. Participants in intervention group received six-sessions of laser acupuncture and six-sessions of sham laser acupuncture was given in control group. All participants used wrist splint at night. The evaluation was performed pretreatment as well as on the 2th, 4th, 8th and 12th week after the treatment.
Interventions
DEVICElaser phototherapy device with low level laser
The wavelength of low level laser is 808nm and the power output of low level laser is 300mW.
Sponsors
Tri-Service General Hospital
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
20 Years to 80 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Age between 20-80 year-old. * Typical symptoms and signs of mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome, such as positive Tinel's sign numbness/tingling in at least 5th digits, and in whom the diagnosis was confirmed using an electrophysiological study.
Exclusion criteria
* Cancer * Coagulopathy * Pregnancy * Inflammation status * Patients who had conditions mimicking carpal tunnel syndrome, such as cervical radiculopathy, polyneuropathy, brachial plexopathy, thoracic outlet syndrome or who had previously undergone wrist surgery or steroid injection for carpal tunnel syndrome. * There are tattoos, birthmarks and skin disorders over acupuncture points.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change from baseline of severity of symptoms and functional status on 2th, 4th, 8th and 12th weeks after treatment by using Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ). | baseline, 2th, 4th, 8th and 12th weeks after treatment | The Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) is a disease-specific measure of self-reported symptom severity and functional status. One is the minimum score and five is the maximum score in each symptom severity scale (11 items). The total score range of symptom severity scale is 11 to 55. One is the minimum score and five is the maximum score in each functional status scale (8 items). The total score range of functional status scale is 8 to 40. Using the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire to measure the symptoms and functional status of carpal tunnel syndrome before treatment and multiple time frame after treatment. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change from baseline of pain on 2th, 4th, 8th and 12th weeks after treatment by using Visual analog scale (VAS). | baseline, 2th, 4th, 8th and 12th weeks after treatment | The visual analog scale (VAS) is a measurement instrument that tries to measure the amount of pain that a patient feels ranges across a continuum from none to an extreme amount of pain. Zero is the minimum score of pain and ten is the maximum score of pain. Using Visual analog scale (VAS) to measure the pain induced by carpal tunnel syndrome before treatment and multiple time frame after treatment. |
| Change from baseline of electrophysiological study and sonography on 2th, 4th, 8th and 12th weeks by using electrophysiological and sonographical machine measurement. | baseline, 2th, 4th, 8th and 12th weeks after treatment | Electrophysiological study and sonography according to the protocol reported by the American Academy of Neurology with SierraWave, Cadwell (USA). |
Countries
Taiwan
Contacts
Primary ContactChuan-Chih Chen, MD
Backup ContactYung-Tsan Wu, MD
Outcome results
None listed