Opinion article

Chronic pain is defined as pain that persists for greater than 12 weeks (Task-Force, 1994) and currently affects roughly 30% of the population in the United States (Johannes et al., 2010).

The most common method for managing chronic pain has traditionally been pharmacological (Nalamachu, 2013). These treatments often include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), opioids, acetaminophen, and anticonvulsants (Nalamachu, 2013).

Alternative medicine is now also being used more frequently to treat chronic pain and may consist of acupuncture (McKee et al., 2013), Tai Chi (Wang et al., 2010; Wang, 2012), and low-level laser therapy (LLLT) (Enwemeka et al., 2004; Ay et al., 2010).

The focus of this manuscript is to highlight the physiological aspects of LLLT, and to discuss its application for those suffering from chronic pain, alone and in combination with exercise. It will also provide justification for the use of LLLT using specific data and case studies from the existing literature which have resulted in positive outcomes for those suffering from chronic pain.

Low-level laser therapy as a treatment for chronic pain, by  J. Derek Kingsley, Timothy Demchak and Reed Mathis in  Front. Physiol., 19 August 2014