Laser Therapy: Healing your pain.. changing your life.
What is Laser Therapy? Laser Therapy a.k.a. "photobiomodulation", is the use of specific wavelenths of light (red and near-infrared) to create therapeutic effects. These effects include improved healing time, pain reduction, increased circulation and decreased swelling. Laser Therapy has been widely utilized in Europe by physical therapists, nurses and doctors as far back as the 1970's. Now, after FDA clearance in 2002, Laser Therapy is being used extensively in the United States.
Patient Benefits of Laser Therapy: Laser Therapy is proven to biostimulate tissue repair and growth. The Laser accelerates wound healing and decreases inflammation, pain, and scar tissue formation. In the management of chronic pain, Class IV Laser Therapy can provide dramatic results, is non-addictive and virtually free of side effects. Pain relief from laser therapy may be dramatic and substantial, lasting for hours, days or weeks. However, results may vary from patient to patient. There are thousands of published studies demonstrating the clinical effectiveness of Laser Therapy.
Cellular Effects of Laser Therapy: During Laser Therapy, the infrared laser light interacts with tissues at the cellular level and metabolic activity increases within the cell, improving the transport of nutrients across the cell membrane. This initiates the production of cellular energy (ATP) that leads to a cascade of benefitical effects, increasing cellular funciton and health.
Laser Therapeutic Effects: During each painless treatment laser energy increases circulation, drawing water, oxygen and nutrients to the damaged area. This creates an optimal healing environment that reduces inflammation, swelling, muscle spasms, stiffness and pain. As the injured area returns to normal, fuction is restored and pain is relieved.
Laser Therapy can help with: Tendinopathies, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Myofascial Trigger Points, Lateral Epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow), Medial Epicondylitis (Golfer's Elbow), Ligament Sprains, Muslce Strains, Repetitive Stress Injuries, Chondromalacia Patellae, Plantar Fascitis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Degenerative Arthritis/Osteoarthritis, Shoulder, Back & Knee Pain, Herpes Zoster (Shingles), Post-Traumatic Injury, Trigeminal Neuralgia, Fibromyalgia, Diabetic Neuropathy, Venous or Diabetic Foot Ulcers, Burns, Deep Edema/Congestion, Sports Injuries, Auto and Work-Related Injuries
Frequently Asked Questions:
Does it hurt? What does a treatment feel like? There is little to no sensation during treatment. Occasionally one feels mild, soothing warmth or tingling. Areas of pain or inflammation may be sensitive briefly before pain reduction: such as over fingers or fractured bones.
Are there any side effects or associated risks? During more than 20 years of use by healthcare providers all over the world, very few side effects have ever been reported. Occasionally some old injuries or pain syndromes may be aggravated for a few days, as the healing response is more active after treatment.
How long does each treatment take? Our new more powerful Paramount laser takes much less time than other lasers. Most areas of treatment are between 2 and 4 minutes on average, depending on the size of the are being treated and thickness of the body part being treated.
How often should a patient be treated? Acute conditions may be treated daily, particularly if they are accompanied by significant pain. More chronic problems respond better when treatments are received 2 or 3 times a week, tapering to once a week or once every other week, with improvement.
How many treatments does it take? This depends on the nature of the condition being treated. For some acute conditions 1 to 6 treatments may be sufficient. For conditions of a chronic nature may require 10 to 15 (or more) treatments. Conditions such as severe arthritis may require an ongoing periodic care to control pain.
How long before the results are felt? You may feel improvement in your condition immediately after your very first treatment (usually due to pain reduction.) Sometimes you will not feel improvement for a number of treatments. This does not mean that nothing is happening. Each treatment is cumulative and results are often felt after 3 or 4 sessions.
Can it be used in conjunction with other forms of treatment? Absolutely YES! Laser Therapy is often used with other forms of therapy including physical therapy, chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture, massage, soft tissue mobilization and even following surgery. Some of our current patients have gotten relief and better healing of surgical scars that were thickening and not healing well, fractures of their hand or fingers and some relief of pain and quicker healing for compression fractures of the spine.
We just call it the "Magic Wand"!
Schedule your consultation and evaluation today to see if your condition would be helped by Laser Therapy. We love it and are blessed to be able to have this therapeutic modality in our office.
