Low Intensity Laser Therapy is utilized for relief of chronic pain, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and promotes repair. Laser light is absorbed through the skin and penetrates the cells and surrounding tissue. The light stimulates the body’s natural cellular pathways to reduce pain and inflammation. It’s a safe and non-toxic method to decrease inflammation, and in turn decrease pain. Laser therapy can reduce scar tissue, improve circulation and lymph flow, and re-energize the healing process.
What are the Physiological Effects of Laser Therapy?
Short term effects:
- Beta-endorphins are produced and released (Beta-endorphins are natural pain killers that the body releases that hold back the sensation of pain).
- The body produces more Cortisol (Cortisol controls inflammation, and helps with physical stress associated with trauma or illness).
Long term effects:
- The body makes more Adenosine Triphosphate (More ATP means better working cells, ATP acts as the body’s fuel)
- More DNA is produced, DNA works as the body’s building blocks, when the body is injured DNA is used to help repair the tissue
- More serotonin is released into the body (Serotonin is a “feel good” chemical of the body that helps with sleep, concentration, and mood) and acetylecholine (More acetylecholine means better communication between two cells)
- Increased production of healthy cells
- Improvement in collagen fibers (Strings of fibers that act like a band aid over injuries)
- Newer blood vessels are formed
Other Effects:
- Body’s immune system is excited
- Lymphatic drainage is improved
- Body makes more growth hormone to help heal
- And by accelerating the body’s healing processes, there is a relief of symptoms
- The formation of new capillaries and arterioles resulting in improved wound healing (angiogenesis)
Other Benefits of Laser Therapy?
- Highly effective for many disease conditions
- Reduces pain
- Reduces the need for pharmaceuticals
- Restores normal range of motion and physical function
- Easily applied
- 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
What is involved?
Application of the laser, under the supervision of a health care professional, can penetrate up to 3 inches deep into the tissue to stimulate heat. The treatment will typically take between 5 and 15 minutes and is painless. Between 3 to 20 treatments maybe required, depending on the injury and rate of healing.
How does Laser work and why is it effective?
Laser light supplies energy to the body in the form of photons or light. The energy is absorbed through the skin and causes tissue changes, stimulates tissue repair and creates an analgesic anti-inflammatory effect. When the light source is placed against the skin, the photons penetrate up to 3 inches and get absorbed by the mitochondria, the energy producing part of a cell. This energy fuels many positive physiological responses resulting in the restoration of normal cell morphology and function.
