Laser Acupuncture Therapy in Elderly Patients with a Trigger Digit and Diabetes

ABSTRACTBackground: Trigger digits or stenosing tenosynovitis comprise a pathologic condition of the fingers causedby inflammation and thickening of the synovial tendon sheaths. Treatment of trigger digits is performed torelieve pain and improve function of the affected fingers.Case: A 64-year-old male patient, with pain (visual analogue scale [VAS] score of 5) and stiffness in the fifth fingerof his right hand. He was diagnosed with a trigger digit and controlled type 2 diabetes. He received laser acu-puncture therapy at a Nogier ABF frequency at a dose of 6 Joules per point at the SI-2 Qiangu point, Ex-UE-9 Baxiepoint, and a local point on the nodule of his right hand; and manual acupuncture at the LI-4 Hegu point bilaterally.Results: After 7 sessions of acupuncture therapy, this patient did not have any pain (a VAS score of 0), the fifthfinger of his right hand could be fully flexed, and there was almost no resistance to finger extension. There wasno longer swelling and redness of his fingers, and the size of the nodules was reduced. There was an increase inhis quality of life per the EQ-5D questionnaire from a scale of 70/100 to a scale of 85/100.Conclusions: This report describes an elderly patient with a trigger digit and diabetes for whom a combinationof laser and manual acupuncture therapy was very helpful. Laser acupuncture can be an option for patients whohave contraindications to pharmacologic or interventional therapies.Keywords: diabetes, elderly patient, laser acupuncture, trigger digits