Laser acupuncture shows promise for Kids' ear fluid
NCT ID NCT07242001
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested whether laser acupuncture, a painless procedure using low-level laser light on specific points, can improve middle ear function in children aged 2-10 with otitis media with effusion (fluid behind the eardrum). Thirty-two children received either real or sham laser acupuncture over two weeks. Researchers measured ear function with a tympanogram and tracked fluid recurrence for one month. The goal was to see if laser acupuncture, added to standard decongestant therapy, helps clear the fluid and prevent it from coming back.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- laser acupuncture
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a non-invasive, drug-free option to help clear fluid in children's ears and reduce repeat episodes.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed trial with only 32 children. The results may not apply to all kids, and the sham control means any benefit could be due to placebo.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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32 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Dec 2025
- Finished
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Apr 2026
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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2 to 10 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Children aged 2-10 years, both male and female. * Diagnosed with OME with a Type B tympanogram curve, either unilateral or bilateral. * No acute ear infection within the last 2 weeks. * Willingness to participate in the study until completion and signed informed consent from a parent or legal guardian. Exclusion Criteria: * History of tympanic membrane perforation or previous ear surgery. * Presence of severe OME complications, such as permanent hearing loss, tympanosclerosis, or cholesteatoma. * Underwent laser acupuncture therapy for OME within the last three months. * History of unstable systemic disease or other medical conditions that could interfere with the study, such as a history of uncontrolled seizures or epilepsy, a current high fever \>38°C, or malignancy/cancer in the ENT system. * Presence of a mental disorder, inability to communicate well, or being uncooperative. * Presence of wounds or skin lesions at the intended acupuncture point irradiation sites.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Universitas Indonesia
Jakarta Pusat, DKI Jakarta, 10430, Indonesia
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.