Photobiomodulation as an analgesic resource in the spine in puerperal women

Abstract

Introduction: Pain is a condition present during pregnancy, childbirth and extends to the puerperium. Not surprisingly many women desire analgesic resources, but these are limited due to possible side effects for the mother and new born/infant. Photobiomodulation then appears as an analgesic alternative in puerperal women, since it is free of undesirable effects. Objective: To evaluate and compare spinal pain in puerperal women before and after the application of the photobiomodulation resource, in the first 24 hours after vaginal or cesarean delivery. Methods: An experimental and cross-sectional study on the evaluation of spinal pain in puerperal women, which was carried out at Hospital Santa Casa de Misericórdia Carolina Malheiros, in the city of São João da Boa Vista (SP). Pain intensity was evaluated before and after the application of photobiomodulation, using the visual analogue scale in 20 puerperal women in the first 24 hours postpartum. The Laser Therapy Plus® device was used with the Intravascular Laser Irradiation of Blood technique for 30 minutes. For comparison between moments, the T-Student test was used, and the confidence interval considered was 95%. Results: The pain quantified by the scale ranged from an average of 7.55±1.82 to 3.45±2.5 (p<0.001). Conclusion: It was concluded that photobiomodulation, in the Intravascular Laser Irradiation of Blood technique, can be a safe analgesic resource for women in the first 24 hours postpartum, as they had improved their spinal pain, contributing to a better quality of life and establishing a bond with the infant.