ABSTRACT
Laser phototherapy has the potential to dramatically improve the
clinical outcome in many cases of radiculopathy. The laser therapy
device can be utilized as a singular therapy or in combination with
other therapies and procedures for the treatment of radiculopathy.
Clinicians with proficiency in laser therapy consider it to be an
indispensable modality. Outside of this group of practitioners, many
physicians and healthcare professionals have been slow to recognize
the benefits of laser therapy for the treatment of musculoskeletal
disorders. The scientific literature based on double-blinded studies
utilizing laser therapy for radiculopathy is sparse, yet positive [1-
3]. There are many well-designed animal studies of nerve repair and
regeneration that statistically support the use of therapeutic laser as
a capable technology for promoting neurological recovery [4-7]. The
mechanism of positive therapeutic action from laser irradiation for
the treatment of radiculopathy has not been thoroughly explained
in research to date. Thus far, the mechanisms of action have been
largely extrapolated from cellular and animal studies.