ABSTRACT
The purpose of this double-blind study was to ascertain the effects of helium-neon (He-Ne) laser irradiation on skin resistance and pain in patients with trigger points in the neck or low back. This study entailed a partial replication of a previous study by Snyder-Mackler and associates that determined the use of the He-Ne laser increased skin resistance overlying a trigger point. Twenty-four patients were randomly assigned to either a treatment or a control group and received three 20-second applications of laser irradiation or placebo "stimulation," respectively. Pretreatment and posttreatment skin resistance and pain measurements (via visual analog scale) were taken during each session. Results indicated a statistically significant increase in skin resistance (p less than .001) and a decrease in pain (p less than .005) following laser treatment. There was not a significant correlation between skin resistance and pain across subjects. These data substantiate the previous findings of Snyder-Mackler and associates and demonstrate a reduction in pain. Helium-neon laser treatment, therefore, may be an effective adjunct to conventional physical therapy of these patients.
Subject(s)
Laser Therapy , Myofascial Pain Syndromes/radiotherapy , Skin Physiological Phenomena , Double-Blind Method , Electric Conductivity , Helium , Humans , Neon , Pain Measurement , Random AllocationABSTRACT
A case is described of a 67 year old obese white woman who had a history of multiple medical problems and who was in chronic respiratory failure but responded poorly to intermittent positive pressure breathing, chest physiotherapy, and supplementary oxygen. She was treated successfully with a 600 k.cal diet and a 26-day physical reconditioning programme. Reconditioning techniques included free and treadmill walking, stair climbing, bench stepping, light calisthenics, and breathing retraining. Improvements were noticed in blood gases, spirometry, electrocardiogram, motor coordination, and physical working capacity.
Subject(s)
Exercise Therapy , Lung Diseases, Obstructive/therapy , Obesity/diet therapy , Aged , Blood Gas Analysis , Electrocardiography , Female , Humans , Lung Volume MeasurementsABSTRACT
The application of 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid (TIBA, 10 mg·g(-1) in lanolin) to the stem of intact pea seedlings (Pisum sativum L.) inhibited the basipetal transport of (14)C from indoleacetic acid-1-(14)C (IAA-1-(14)C) applied to the apical bud, but not the transport of (14)C in the phloem following the application of IAA-1-(14)C or sucrose-(14)C to mature foliage leaves. It was concluded that fundamentally different mechanisms of auxin transport operate in these two pathways.When TIBA was applied at the same time as, or 3.0 h after, the application of IAA-1-(14)C to the apical bud, (14)C accumulated in the TIBA-treated and higher internodes; when TIBA was applied 24.0 h before the IAA-1-(14)C, transport in the stem above the TIBA-treated internode was considerably reduced. TIBA treatments did not consistently influence the total recovery of (14)C, or the conversion of free IAA to indoleaspartic acid (IAAsp). These results are discussed in relation to the possible mechanism by which TIBA inhibits auxin transport,.Attention is drawn to the need for more detailed studies of the role of the phloem in the transport of endogenous auxin in the intact plant.
