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The Evidence for MLS® Laser Therapy:
Peripheral Neuropathy
Last updated: August 2026
MLS® laser therapy reduced diabetic neuropathic pain by 63.2% by the end of treatment — and pain remained 56.1% below baseline at 90-day follow-up — in a randomised, sham-controlled trial of 69 patients with painful diabetic sensorimotor neuropathy (Yosifova et al., 2023).
Across six published studies covering diabetic and mixed-etiology neuropathic pain, MLS® has shown consistent, measurable effects on both patient-reported pain and objective nerve function, spanning one randomised controlled trial, three clinical case studies, one electrophysiological pilot study, and two preclinical mechanistic studies.
Quick summary
Condition Design n Key result Diabetic peripheral neuropathy Randomised, sham-controlled trial 69 Neuropathic pain −63.2% at end of treatment, −56.1% at 90 days Diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain Case report 1 NPSI score 67→20 (−70%) Mixed-etiology neuropathic pain Case series 43 Reduced VAS pain, improved function, no adverse events Diabetic sensory peripheral neuropathy Electrophysiological pilot study 10 Peroneal F-wave chronodispersion 8.99→6.19ms (p=0.015); tibial 10.30→6.97ms (p=0.001) Compressive mononeuropathy (rat model) Preclinical 6 Reduced mechanical hypersensitivity; myelin sheath recovery Peripheral nerve regeneration (rat model) Preclinical — Improved sciatic functional index and nerve conduction velocity How to read this evidence
Not all evidence carries the same weight, and we’re not going to pretend otherwise. The studies below are grouped by design, from strongest (randomised controlled trial) to supporting (case reports and preclinical models). Case reports and pilot studies establish plausibility and real-world outcomes in individual patients; they do not substitute for larger controlled trials. We’ve labelled each accordingly.
Does MLS® laser reduce diabetic neuropathy pain?
Randomised controlled trials
Diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
Diabetic peripheral neuropathy. In a randomised, sham-controlled trial of 69 patients with type 2 diabetes and painful diabetic sensorimotor neuropathy of the lower extremities, participants received either MLS® laser therapy (41 patients, 9 sessions over 3 weeks via M6 robotic laser) or a placebo “mock” laser treatment (28 patients). Neuropathic pain, measured by the short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire, decreased by 63.2% in the MLS® group by the end of treatment and remained 56.1% lower than baseline at 90-day follow-up. The placebo group showed only a minimal change at the end of treatment that did not persist to follow-up.
Source: Yosifova L, Vladeva E, Siderova M. “Effects of MLS-Laser on Neuropathic Pain in Diabetic Sensomotor Neuropathy.” Journal of IMAB. 2023 Jul-Sep;29(3):5079-5084. Read the study (PDF).
Does MLS® laser improve nerve conduction in diabetic neuropathy?
Electrophysiological pilot study
Diabetic sensory peripheral neuropathy, nerve conduction. In a controlled prospective pilot study, 10 patients with type 2 diabetes (diagnosed less than 10 years prior) and developing diabetic peripheral neuropathy received MLS® laser therapy (808nm continuous + 905nm pulsed, synchronised) to the tibial and peroneal nerves, 3 times weekly for 3 weeks. The untreated sural nerve served as an internal control. Peroneal F-wave chronodispersion improved significantly from 8.99ms to 6.19ms (p=0.015), and tibial F-wave chronodispersion improved from 10.30ms to 6.97ms (p=0.001) — both changes exceeding the normal 2–3% measurement variation and indicative of objective nerve healing. The untreated sural nerve showed no significant change. All 10 subjects completed treatment with no adverse reactions reported.
Source: Rader A. “The Effect of MLS Therapy on Nerve Conduction Parameters in Developing Diabetic Sensory Peripheral Neuropathy.” Energy for Health, [09]:122-125. Read the study (PDF)
What’s the nerve-level mechanism behind MLS® laser’s effect on neuropathic pain?
Preclinical mechanistic evidence
Compressive mononeuropathy (rat model). In a rat model of compressive mononeuropathy (chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve), MLS-MiS laser therapy — applied 10 times over 3 weeks — reduced mechanical hypersensitivity and spontaneous pain starting from the first treatment. Ex vivo analysis showed myelin sheath recovery in the sciatic nerve, inhibition of iNOS expression, and enhanced EAAT-2 levels in the spinal cord, supporting a nerve-protective as well as analgesic mechanism.
Source: Micheli L, et al. “Effect of NIR Laser Therapy by MLS-MiS Source Against Neuropathic Pain in Rats: In Vivo and Ex Vivo Analysis.” Scientific Reports. 2019;9:9297. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-45469-5 · PMID: 31243320
Peripheral nerve regeneration (rat model). In a study using a Wistar rat model of crushed sciatic nerve injury, MLS laser therapy significantly improved the sciatic functional index, compound motor action potential amplitude, motor nerve conduction velocity, and myelin sheath diameter compared to untreated controls, supporting a role for MLS® in accelerating regeneration after traumatic nerve injury.Source: “Efficacy of Multi-Wave Locked System Laser Therapy on Nerve Regeneration.” Journal of Physical Therapy Science. 2021;33(7):549-553. DOI: 10.1589/jpts.33.549 · PMID: 34219963
Peripheral nerve regeneration (rat model). In a study using a Wistar rat model of crushed sciatic nerve injury, MLS laser therapy significantly improved the sciatic functional index, compound motor action potential amplitude, motor nerve conduction velocity, and myelin sheath diameter compared to untreated controls, supporting a role for MLS® in accelerating regeneration after traumatic nerve injury.
Source: “Efficacy of Multi-Wave Locked System Laser Therapy on Nerve Regeneration.” Journal of Physical Therapy Science. 2021;33(7):549-553. DOI: 10.1589/jpts.33.549 · PMID: 34219963
What do real-world case reports show for neuropathic pain relief?
Clinical case evidence
Diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain (case report). A 67-year-old woman with a 15-year history of type 2 diabetes and distal sensorimotor polyneuropathy of both legs — confirmed by EMG showing axonal degeneration and partial segmental demyelination — had failed to respond to NSAIDs, analgesics, and rest. After 6 MiS (MLS® family) laser sessions over 2 weeks, her total Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory (NPSI) score fell from 67/100 to 20/100, a 70% reduction. She reported no pain, numbness, or burning in her left leg after the fourth session and in her right leg after the fifth. Stabbing pain and pins-and-needles/tingling scores each dropped by 80–100%, and the improvement held at one-month follow-up.
Source: Todorov IT. “Successful Management of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathic Pain Using MiS MLS® Laser Therapy: A Case Report.” Energy for Health, 2024;[24]. Read the case report (PDF)
Mixed-etiology neuropathic pain (case series). In a case series of 43 patients (mean age 53, range 23–85) with neuropathic pain across the cervical spine, foot/ankle, hand/wrist, shoulder, elbow, hip, and knee, treatment with the MiS (MLS® family) laser device reduced VAS pain scores and improved therapist-assessed function by the end of treatment, with no adverse events reported across the two participating physiotherapy centers.
Source: Mezzalira M, D’Angelo G. “Laser Therapy in the Management of Neuropathic Pain: Preliminary Experience on 43 Patients.” Energy for Health, 2019;19. Read the case series
This page summarises independently published research on MLS® laser therapy for peripheral neuropathy. It is provided for clinical and educational reference and does not replace individualised clinical judgment. Heal with Laser is the exclusive distributor of ASA Laser MLS® technology in Australia and New Zealand.