Effects of 36.5 Hz pulsed LASER acupuncture on pain and disease impact in fibromyalgia patients: A pilot randomized clinical trial

De Lima RA, Boggiss A, Rosário RC, Silva PA, Moreira RM, Da Silva KP, De Farias CL, de Queiroz Dos Santos V, Silva Santos AT, Silva Vilela Terra AM · Clinical Rheumatology · 2025 September 24

DOI 10.1007/s10067-025-07691-7

Objective

To investigate the effect of laser acupuncture at 36.5 Hz pulsed frequency on pain intensity and the impact of fibromyalgia in individuals with fibromyalgia syndrome.

Conclusions

Laser acupuncture at 36.5 Hz pulsed frequency, applied to Ryodoraku electrodiagnostic points, significantly reduced pain intensity and improved functional impact in individuals with fibromyalgia syndrome.

Critical Appraisal

Published research can offer valuable insights, but a paper’s conclusions may go beyond what its results support. Critical appraisal examines the methods, findings and limitations to clarify what can reasonably be concluded—and what remains uncertain.

This article has not yet been critically appraised by the Research Hub.

Learn more about Critical Appraisal

Insights

Laser acupuncture at a pulsed frequency of 36.5 Hz improves pain intensity and impacts fibromyalgia syndrome positively.

In this pilot randomized controlled clinical trial conducted at the university's Human Performance Research Laboratory, 20 adult volunteers diagnosed with fibromyalgia syndrome were divided randomly into two groups. One group, the Control Group, received a 30-minute educational lecture about fibromyalgia. The other group, the Experimental Group, underwent laser acupuncture treatment delivered at a pulsed frequency of 36.5 Hz on Ryodoraku electrodiagnostic points. This treatment was administered twice a week for three weeks. When compared to the Control Group, the Experimental Group demonstrated significantly improved results. They showed lower scores on the Pain Numeric Rating Scale, Generalized Pain Index, Symptom Severity Scale, and Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire. This indicates that the laser acupuncture had a beneficial and positive effect on pain intensity and the overall impact of the fibromyalgia syndrome in the individuals of the Experimental group.