U.S. FDA approves violet laser for chronic neck and shoulder pain relief

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) technology developer Erchonia (Melbourne, FL) has received U.S. FDA approval to market its EVRL low-level laser for temporary relief of chronic neck and shoulder pain of musculoskeletal origin.

Previously, violet light in laser therapy has been for the use on dermatological conditions such as acne. With this new indication, the EVRL violet laser (405 nm) is reportedly the first to receive FDA market clearance for use on an indication related to pain.

In a clinical study to determine the effectiveness of the EVRL laser, both the red and violet diodes were activated simultaneously. The lasers were active for 13 minutes and no other therapies were used in conjunction. The subjects' pain recording was recorded immediately after treatment using a 0 to 100 Visual Analog Pain Scale (VAS). The U.S. FDA predetermined the individual subject success as a 30% or greater decrease in pain. The laser far exceeded criteria, as all enrolled subjects experienced a reduction in pain following treatment, with average pain reduction of 50%. Subjects also experienced an increase in range of motion (ROM) and subject satisfaction. (The study results are published in the journal Medical Devices: Evidence and Research.)

“What makes the study results more impressive is the average duration of pain was 76.58 months. These subjects were living with chronic pain for an average of 6+ years, and with just a single treatment from the Erchonia EVRL laser, they experienced a significant reduction in pain,” comments Steven Shanks, president of Erchonia.

For more information, please visit erchonia.com.