Effect of Ultrasound and Low Level Laser Therapy on Nerve Conduction Studies in Patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Abstract

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common entrapment neuropathy resulting from median nerve compression with the symptoms of pain, numbness and tingling in the hand and fingers. There are many conservative treatment options available for carpal tunnel syndrome. Ultrasound and low level LASER therapy are found to be one of the effective conservative treatments. The purpose of this study is to find the effect of ultrasound and low level LASER therapy along with conventional treatment on electrodiagnosis and clinical symptoms in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. 10 subjects with carpal tunnel syndrome were selected for the randomized control trial and were divided into two groups. Group A (n=5) received low level LASER therapy (1.8J/cm²) on five points over the median nerve and Group B(n=5) received ultrasound (1MHz, 1W/cm², pulse 1:4, 15 min/sessions) followed by neural mobilization and  night splinting five days a week for two weeks. Motor Nerve Conduction Studies (median nerve distal latency, proximal latency, motor nerve conduction velocity, F-latency, F-velocity) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) were recorded on 1^st, 7^th and 14^th day of treatment. Results of the present study indicate that there is no significant effect on motor nerve conduction studies after ultrasound and low level LASER therapy but VAS score decreased significantly in both groups. On comparison between two groups, the clinical symptoms improved more significantly in low level LASER therapy group. Thus, low level LASER therapy when given along with conventional therapy is more effective than ultrasound therapy in treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome.