The authors have been studied the effects of low energy semiconductor laser on capillary blood flow of the skin. In the present paper, we report a comparative study of acupuncture, low energy He-Ne laser and semiconductor laser.
[SUBJECT & METHOD] Subjects were five healthy adults. Two types of laser irradiation and in situ acupuncture using No. 20 needle, 30mm in legth, were separately applied to the right Hegu (IC4) for 10minutes. Two laser types were low energy He-Ne (632.8nm, 8.5mW) and low energy semiconductor MR-180Is (830nm, 30mW). Capillary blood flow of the skin was measured at the palmar center of right index fingertip before, during and 30 minutes after stimulation using a laser doppler blood flow velocity meter (LDV, ALF2100). Measurement was carried out after 20-minute rest in a room maintained at the temperature of 25±0.5°C.
[Result] After the acupuncture stimulation, blood flow rose to 140% of the original level and it was retained throughout the measurement period. By He-Ne or semiconductor laser irradiation, blood flow rose to 111% and 107%, respectively, but it showed tendency to decrease and reached below the original level 30 minutes later.
[CONCLUSION] Acupuncture stimulation demonstrated heigher effect in improving the peripheral blood circulation than He-Ne laser or semiconductor laser irradiation.