Therapeutic Effects of Near-infrared Radiation on Chronic Neck Pain

PurposeWe aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of near-infrared radiation on patients with chronic neck pain using various subjective and objective outcome measures.MethodsThirty participants with chronic neck pain between 20 years and 65 years of age were divided into two groups. Participants in Group A received near-infrared therapy every day for 1 week and no intervention in the following week. Group B participants received no intervention during the 1st week and near-infrared therapy every day in the following week. Quantitative measures of visual analog scale (VAS), pressure pain threshold (PPT), muscle stiffness, and skin-surface temperature were obtained using specific equipment.ResultsBoth groups showed significant increases in VAS scores after receiving near-infrared therapy. In most of the sampled muscles, PPT values also increased after receiving near-infrared therapy in both groups. All other outcome measures collected prior to and after therapy displayed nonsignificant differences.ConclusionResults from this pilot study indicate that near-infrared therapy reduces pain and partially increases PPT. Further investigation of the long-term effects of near-infrared therapy on a larger population is warranted.