High-Intensity Laser Therapy Versus Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injection in Chronic Lumbar Disc Herniation-Related Low Back and Radicular Pain
Recruiting now · Not applicable
Conditions studied: Lumbar Disc Herniation, Chronic Low Back Pain, Radicular Pain, Lumbar Radiculopathy
In brief
This prospective, randomized, single-blinded, controlled clinical trial aims to compare the effectiveness of high-intensity laser therapy and fluoroscopy-guided transforaminal epidural steroid injection in patients with chronic low back pain and lumbar radiculopathy. Eligible patients will be randomized into two parallel groups. One group will receive high-intensity laser therapy, and the other group will receive transforaminal epidural steroid injection. All participants will also receive a standardized home-based exercise program. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, 2 weeks, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks after treatment. The primary outcome will be pain intensity measured by the Visual Analog Scale. Secondary outcomes will include functional disability, neuropathic pain symptoms, quality of life, and functional walking capacity.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT07688915
- Run by
- Ankara City Hospital Bilkent
- People needed
- 24
- Starts
- 2025-08-01
- Expected to finish
- 2026-10-01
- Last updated by the study team
- 2026-07-07
Who can join
Age: 18 and older, up to 65. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.
You may qualify if…
- Age between 18 and 65 years
- Diagnosis of lumbar disc herniation confirmed by clinical examination and lumbar magnetic resonance imaging
- Chronic axial low back pain and radicular pain related to lumbar disc herniation
- Low back and/or radicular pain lasting longer than 3 months
- Resting low back and/or radicular pain intensity of ≥5 on a 0-10 visual analog scale
- Willingness to participate in the study and provide written informed consent
You may not qualify if…
- Pregnancy or suspected pregnancy
- Presence of a cardiac pacemaker
- History of epilepsy
- Active or previous malignancy
- History of spinal surgery
- Uncontrolled systemic or psychiatric disease
- Cauda equina syndrome or progressive neurological deficit
- Peripheral neuropathy, including diabetic or alcohol-related neuropathy
- Neurodegenerative disease
- Acute trauma
- Active systemic infection
- Local infection or skin disease at the injection site or treatment area
- Body mass index greater than 40 kg/m²
- Bleeding disorder that contraindicates treatment
- Spinal stenosis, spondylolysis, or spondylolisthesis
- Neurogenic bladder or bowel syndrome
- Rheumatologic disease
- Arterial vascular disease or vascular claudication
- Receipt of other physical therapy modalities within the last 3 months
- Receipt of spinal injection therapy within the last 3 months
- History of allergy to injection agents
Where it is running
- Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Hospital — Ankara, Turkey (Türkiye) (enrolling)
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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