[Low reactive-level laser therapy near the stellate ganglion for postherpetic facial neuralgia].
Low reactive-level laser therapy near the stellate ganglion was given for a 68-year-old female with postherpetic neuralgia, suffering from burning pain in the right forehead for 11 years. Stellate ganglion block and supraorbital nerve block with oral medication were not effective to relieve this pain. The laser irradiation induced warm sensation in her face followed by an excellent pain relief. Thermograms illustrated a remarkable increase from 30.6 degrees C to 31.5 degrees C in temperature of her right face. The irradiation near the right carotid artery also had the similar effect. The results imply that the irradiation with low reactive-level laser of the stellate ganglion and/or the carotid artery increases a facial blood flow and relieves facial neuralgia.
Ohtsuka
H
H
Department of Anesthesiology, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Sapporo.
Kemmotsu
O
O
Dozaki
S
S
Imai
M
M
D000368:Aged; D005156:Facial Neuralgia / Q000209:etiology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D013233:Stellate Ganglion / Q000528:radiation effects*