Post-Mastectomy Shoulder Pain and Lymphedema Responses to Ga-As Laser Versus Microcurrent Electrical Stimulation

Abstract

Objective: to evaluate the efficacy of GA-AS laser against microcurrent electrical stimulation on postmastectomy shoulder pain as well as lymphedema. Method: a double blinded randomized controlled study. sixty breast cancer patients with lymph-edema stage I and II ,40-55 years old were assigned randomly into study -group A, n = 20 or study -group B, (n = 20) in addition to control group C, (n = 20). The study group was given 20 minutes GA-AS laser, 90 minutes complete decongestive therapy (CDT). study -group B received 20 minutes of microcurrent electrical stimulation (MENS) and 90minutes CDT, control group C was given 90 minutes CDT. All treatment interventions were applied at a frequency of three sessions per week for 12 weeks. Arm volume calculated by circumference measurement, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire as well as pain intensity utilizing a visual analogue scale (VAS) were measured at before and following 12 weeks of treatment. Results: a statistically significant difference has been detected in limb volume, DASH questionnaire as well as VAS favoring the study group A ((p = 0.001).) and the study group B ((p = 0.001). following 12 weeks of intervention. The mean (SD) for limb-volume, DASH questionnaire as well as pain score were 1236.74 ± 43.34, 27.21 ± 7.16, and 3.20 ± 0.62in the study group A, and 1331.76 ± 46.92, 34.52 ± 4.38 and 3.90 ± 0.78in the study group B and 1390.18 ± 58.77 ml, 40.68 ± 6.93and 5.30 ± 0.86in the control group C respectively. Conclusion: adding GA-AS laser and microcurrent electrical stimulation to the conventional physical therapy program had a valuable effect than traditional physical therapy program alone in improving postmastectomy shoulder pain as well as lymphedema.