The effect of low-intensity laser therapy (LILT) on cutaneous wound healing and pain relief in rats

[Purpose] This study examined the impact of low-intensity laser therapy on wound healing and pain control using a rat cutaneous wound model. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty-four adult male Sprague-Dawley rats (between 220−240 g, 7 weeks) were used in this study. The rats were anesthetized and a circular fragment of skin was removed from the dorsal region of the back by a punch with an 8-mm diameter. The animals were randomly divided into 6 groups, Groups C 1, C 3, and C 5, control groups, received no laser treatment. Groups T 1, T 3, and T 5 received laser treatment for 20 min per day for 1, 3 and 5 days, respectively. Lumbar spine and dorsal skin were extracted and processed using western blot analysis. [Results] Periodical observation showed increases in NGF expression on the skin, and decreases in c-fos expression by the spinal cord in the treatment groups compared to the control group. [Conclusion] The present findings suggest that low-intensity laser therapy could be used as an effective therapy for wound healing and pain relief, and could be further used as a clinical approach for treating cutaneous wounds.