Some patients feel improvement in their condition after the very first treatment. 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 5 or 6 sessions.
During more than twenty years of use of therapeutic lasers all over the world, very few side effects have ever been reported. Contrast that with the side effects of prescription drugs or surgery – laser therapy has an amazingly safe track record.
You really don’t feel too much. There may be a slight warming sensation since the laser uses an infrared wavelength. Or you might feel a little tingly sensation – some people think this is due to the increase in cellular energy output, or the increase in cell membrane permeability.
It does not require the use of drugs or painful surgeries, there are less side effects or risks, and it is quick and convenient. Studies have shown that it is equal to or more effective than other forms of physical therapy.
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.
Low laser therapy devices are class III lasers or “cold” lasers. Their power ranges are in the range of 5 milliwatts to 500 milliwatts
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.
Physiological effects of Laser Therapy:
- 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 lymphatic flow
- Increased collagen production
- Enhanced angiogenesis (creation of new blood vessels)
Numerous studies show that laser therapy can help with these conditions:
- Arthritis
- Back Pain
- Carpal Tunnel
- Neck pain
- Fibromyalgia
- Knee Pain
- Shoulder Pain
- Sports Injuries
- Work or Auto Related Injuries
- Plantar Fasciitis
- And more…
Laser Therapy or “photobiomodulation”, is the use of specific wavelengths 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 adds energy to living systems. While we are able to explain many of its molecular and biochemical effects, it also adds energy at atomic and subatomic levels. When we understand these deeper effects, perhaps we may know much more about ourselves.