Pain Treatments
Pain Treatments
What is Laser Therapy?
Laser Therapy is the application of red and infrared light over injuries to improve soft tissue
healing resulting in relief if acute and chronic conditions. Laser therapy uses monochromatic
light emission from a high intensity super luminous diodes to treat musculoskeletal injuries,
chronic and degenerative conditions to heal wounds. The light source is placed in contact with
the skin allowing the photon energy to penetrate the soft tissue, where it interacts with various
intracellular biomolecules resulting in the restoration of normal cell functions and
enhancement of the body’s healing processes.
How Does Laser Therapy Work?
Laser Therapy is a safe, non-toxic, non-invasive, drug-free solution to pain. When a cell is
working to repair itself, it needs a great deal of energy. Most cells continue to work at their
usual rate, which is why repair of some tissues takes so long.
In some instances, the cells stay so busy dealing with inflammation and bi-products that are
present in the injured tissue; they don’t have enough energy left to provide effective repair.
With the use of lasers the cells are stimulated and their activity is increased so that they can
perform better, faster and more effectively. The result is enhanced wound and injury healing in
a shorter period of time. A more detailed explanation of the science behind how laser therapy
works is that, the light from the laser stimulates the cell’s mitochondria into hyperactivity. The
Krebs Cycle of metabolism occurs on the inner membrane of this structure, liberating energy
from the chemical bonds present in ATP (adenosine triphosphate) molecules. The cell is
provided with more energy and is now in an optimum condition to play its part in the healing
process.
What Conditions/Injuries can be treated by Laser Therapy?
- Rotator Cuff Tears
- Tennis Elbow
- Fractures with Soft Tissue Damage
- Ligament and Tendon Tears
- Sprains and Strains
- Heel Spur
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- TMJ
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Whiplash
- Arthritis
Clinical Benefits
- Eliminates pain
- Reduces the need for pharmaceuticals
- Restores normal range of motion and physical function
- Non-invasive
- Non-toxic
- No known adverse effects
- No drug interactions
- Often makes surgical interventions unnecessary
- Provides a treatment alternative for patients that have not responded to conventional
- therapies
Physiological Effects
- Increased production and release of:
- Endorphins – natural analgesics
- Cortisol – precursor of cortisone
- Growth hormone – instrumental in tissue repair
- ATP – improves and regulates cellular metabolism
- Increased protein synthesis – collagen, DNA, fibroblasts
- Venous and lymphatic flow facilitated
- Increased angiogenesis – elevation of oxygen saturation
- Enhanced immune response