Osteoarthritis of the hand is a disease that breaks down the cartilage and causes formation of new bone around the joints of the hand, resulting in pain, discomfort, and often lowered ability to move the affected joints. Existing methods of treatment for osteoarthritis of the hand include oral and topical medications, physical therapy, occupational therapy, assistive device use, braces and surgery. This study is intended to evaluate the effectiveness of at-home use of a low level laser device in reducing the symptoms of osteoarthritis of the hand.
Comparison(s): Active low level laser units in addition to rescue pain medication, compared to non-active ('fake') low level laser units in addition to rescue pain medication.
