Abstract
Introduction:
Pain is one of the most common clinical symptoms in pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Analgesics may cause side effects that can impact the child’s health. Laser acupuncture is a nonpharmacological therapy that can help manage cancer-related pain in pediatric patients.
Case Presentation:
A case study was conducted on a 14-year-old male patient who presented with a chief complaint of pain in both soles of the feet, which had persisted for 3 months prior to hospital admission. The patient had been diagnosed with and was being treated for ALL. The patient developed pain in the soles of his feet after receiving three courses of vincristine-based chemotherapy. Physical examination revealed bilateral pitting edema. Laboratory tests revealed leukocytosis and elevated levels of serum serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT). Electromyography with nerve conduction studies revealed signs of lower extremity motor axonal polyneuropathy. The patient underwent daily routine therapy using laser acupuncture with the RJ-laser pen, Nogier frequency E (36.50 Hz), power output of 50 mW, and an energy density of 0.5 Joules/cm2 applied for 20 s at auricular points according to bilateral battlefield acupuncture (BFA), and 2 Joules/cm2 applied for 80 s at LI4, ST36, GB34, SP6, and LR3 points bilaterally.
Results:
The patient’s pain level was assessed using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS). The patient experienced a reduction in pain after six therapy sessions, as indicated by a decrease in NRS from an initial score of 5 to 1.
Conclusion:
This case report suggests that laser acupuncture therapy might help reduce some of the neuropathic pain experienced by pediatric patients who are being treated for ALL. Furthermore, research should be done in determining whether laser acupuncture can be more widely recommended as an adjunctive or complementary therapy in these settings.
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