Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42334638›Full record

SynthesisLasers in medical science2026

Effect of photobiomodulation on pain and quality of life in fibromyalgia syndrome: a systematic review.

Swathi G A, G Arun Maiya, Shiran Shetty, Heidi Abrahamse, Rajagopal Kadavigere, Shyamasunder Bhat N, Shivashankara K N

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Lasers in medical science, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Swathi G ADepartment of Physiotherapy, Manipal College of Health Professions, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India.
G Arun MaiyaDepartment of Physiotherapy, Manipal College of Health Professions, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India. arun.maiya@manipal.edu.
Shiran ShettyDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India.
Heidi AbrahamseLaser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Rajagopal KadavigereDepartment of Radiodiagnosis, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India.
Shyamasunder Bhat NDepartment of Orthopaedics, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India.
Shivashankara K NDepartment of Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) is a chronic pain disorder characterized by widespread pain and central sensitization that significantly impacts the quality of life (QoL). For management to be effective, a multidisciplinary approach to care is typically required. Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT), a non-pharmacological treatment, has garnered attention lately, though its clinical relevance and applications are not well defined. The objective of this review was to assess the effectiveness of PBMT in reducing FMS symptoms. This systematic review was registered at PROSPERO (CRD420251084730) and conducted following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) reporting guidelines. A total of seven randomized controlled trials were identified following an extensive literature search across various databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Ovid and ProQuest. To evaluate the methodological quality of these studies, the Cochrane Risk of Bias (RoB 2.0) tool was applied. PBMT demonstrated consistent short-term reductions in pain intensity and improvements in QoL. Additional positive effects on sleep quality and psychological well-being were observed, indicating that PBMT may provide additional therapeutic benefits beyond pain reduction, including improvements in sleep quality and psychological well-being. PBMT has shown promise as a safe, non-pharmacological adjunct therapy that may provide short-term improvements in pain levels and QoL, but substantial heterogeneity limits generalizability. Clinical trials with large samples and standardized methodologies should be conducted to better clarify the role of PBMT in multidisciplinary therapy for FMS.

Indexed as

FibromyalgiaLow-Level Light TherapyQuality of LifeHumansPain ManagementRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicSleep QualityChronic fatigue syndromeChronic painHealth-related quality of lifeLaser phototherapyLow-level light therapyPainPhotobiomodulationSystematic reviewTender points

Identifiers

PMID42334638
PMCPMC13290955

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.