There’s a lot of “buzz” in the Greenville SC health and sports medicine community about cold laser, which has gained attention due to its ability to speed the healing of damaged nerves, muscles, and joints.
Cold Laser Therapy
Low Level Laser Therapy or “photobiomodulation“, is the use of specific wavelengths of light (red and near infrared) to create therapeutic effects. These effects include faster healing time, pain reduction, increased circulation and decreased swelling. The use of the word “cold” in the name is only to differentiate it from the type of lasers which are used in surgery which rely upon heat to cut or cauterize tissue. We’ve acquired a cold laser therapy device called the Terraquant Pro from Multi Radiance Medical Co. The therapy doesn’t feel “cold”, in fact, you may not feel anything at all while you are being treated.
The most common benefits of cold laser which I’ve experienced in my practice have been the reduction of inflammation and pain (both acute and chronic) and an amazing increase in the speed of tissue healing in athletic injuries. In many cases road rash, ankle strains and sprains, shoulder and knee strains and sprains all respond within days rather than weeks.
How many therapies can make such a claim? In over 34 years of practice, there haven’t been that many. It is exciting to see patients with chronic injuries who have already been through physical therapy, steroid injections, and oral medications for pain and inflammation respond within weeks of beginning treatment.
Laser therapy adds energy to living systems, which allows researchers to explain many of its molecular and biochemical effects.
Therapeutic applications
which have shown promising results based on research studies include:
Arthritis • Back Pain • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome • Diabetic ulcerations • Fibromyalgia • Headaches/Migraine • Nerve Regeneration • Neuralgia Neuropathy • Pain (Musculoskeletal, Myofascial, Nerve) • Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy • Scars • Skin Disorders • Sports Injuries • Tendonitis • Wound Healing
What questions do you have about cold laser therapy?
Call our office to have your individual questions answered, but here are a few questions which I’ve anticipated most potential patients would like answered.
How long has cold laser therapy been around?
The effects of red light on cellular function have been known since 1880 however the clinical benefits were only discovered by accident during laser safety tests in 1967. The first low-power lasers suitable for treating pain became available commercially in the late 1970’s and ever since then, laser therapy has been widely utilized in Europe by physical therapists, nurses and doctors. Now, after FDA approval in 2001, laser therapy is quickly gaining popularity in the USA.
Has effectiveness been demonstrated scientifically?
There are thousands of published studies demonstrating the clinical effectiveness of laser therapy. Among these, there are more than one hundred rigorously controlled, scientific studies that document the effectiveness of laser for many clinical conditions.
What does laser therapy do, anyway???
Laser Therapy has been clinically shown to allow:
Decreased pain levels
Reduced inflammation
Increased tissue proliferation & regeneration
Accelerated soft tissue and bone repair
Increased tissue tensile strength
Enhanced nerve regeneration & function
Increased cell metabolism
Increased enzymatic responses
Increased cell membrane potentials
Increased microcirculation & vasodilation
Increased lymphatic flow
Increased collagen production
Enhanced creation of new blood vessels
How many laser treatment sessions are necessary?
Usually ten to fifteen sessions are sufficient to achieve a treatment goal. However, many patients note improvement in their condition in just one or two sessions. These sessions may be scheduled at two to three times per week for short duration treatment, or once or twice per week with longer treatment protocols.
Why is Laser Therapy better than some other forms of treatment?
It does not require the use of drugs or surgery, there are less side effects or risks, and it is quick and convenient.
What does it feel like to get a laser therapy treatment?
You really don’t feel anything while being treated. There may be a very slight warming sensation since the laser uses an infrared wavelength.
How long does each treatment take?
Most treatments take only a few minutes.
If you’d like to schedule a consultation and experience a free initial cold laser therapy Greenville SC treatment, call our office today. You can reach Mandy or Colin at 864-292-6777. There’s no obligation to do anything else and you just may discover the beginning of the end of your pain.
–Greenville Chiropractor, Dr David Mruz
Copyright: fredgoldstei / 123RF Stock Photo
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