Laser therapy is the application of low levels of laser light to areas of the body that have been injured or damaged. These therapy lasers produce beneficial photochemical and photobiological interactions that can help relieve pain and repair injured or damaged tissue. Low Level Lasers (LLL) that deliver under 500 milliwatts (mW) power output do not have a thermal effect. This means that they are extremely safe and provoke no adverse skin reactions or sensations during therapy. Laser Therapy is a soft and gentle, non-thermal therapy without side effects. This contrasts the use of surgical application of LASERS, which heat or burn, coagulate, vaporize and carbonize tissue with their high-energy rates (from 3 to 50 Watts).
Over forty years ago we were using high powered lasers in our Orthopedic surgical practice. Medical lasers at that time were mainly being used as surgical cutting and cauterizing instruments, however they were not being used in the treatment of various medical conditions. Over the past twenty-five years there has been an explosive growth in the use of non-invasive lower powered cold lasers in the treatment of various medical conditions. Today low level laser therapy (LLLT) is being used in medical specialities e.g. Orthopedic Surgery, Sports Medicine, Traumatology, Urology, Gynecology, Plastic Surgery, Dentisty, Acupuncture, Veterinary Medicine, Pain Management, and Physical Therapy. LLLT is being used for treatment of traumatic, inflammatory and overuse injuries, pain relief and healing of arthritic lesions, reduction of abscesses and treatment of persistent non-healing wounds such as cold-sores and ulcers. Almost every professional sports team incorporates the use of cold lasers as they have been found to be effective in reducing the severity of injuries and also to greatly enhance recovery from injuries. LLLT is also now being used with reported good results in the treatment of thinning hair in women.
The laser treatment produces favorable biological effects in both humans and animals and seems to work by speeding up cell repair and stimulating the immune, lymphatic, and vascular systems. Treatment protocols are based upon the wave length of the laser being used, the power of the laser, and the individual frequencies which are being delivered.
LLLT has been extensively studied and has been shown to reduce pain by causing the body to produce endorphins. In addition it reduces inflammation by suppressing inflammatory enzymes and by enhancing the release of anti-inflammatory enzymes. Lymphatic drainage is enhanced causing increased circulation and reduction of healing time.
Radiating tissue cultures with the laser has shown that units of light energy (photons) are absorbed by enzymes, which react to light within the cell. It has been shown that visible red light is absorbed within the mitochondria. Infrared light is absorbed at the cell membrane, and in mammalian cells this results in a change in membrane permeability, increased ATP levels and increased DNA production. The photons picked up by the cell membrane result in improved membrane stability and increased activity of the ATP dependent sodium/potassium pump. Because cell metabolism is influenced by Na/K movement across the membrane, increasing the gradient will affect the flow of ions and hence the overall metabolism of the cell. On a tissue level, it has been shown that irradiation by laser light results in increased collagen and epithelial production, production of new capillaries and an increase in density of the capillary bed, which results in reduction of pain and inflammation. Recent reports also indicate that laser light therapy helps to increase the response of the immune system.
Studies have shown that the transfer of essential nutrients) cannot occur across the cellular membrane of a de-polarized (sick) cell. Consequently, delayed healing, chronic dis-ease, scars, fatigue, and accelerated aging is observed! LLLT reenergizes (re-polarizes) injured cell membranes and increases the mitochondria energy by 150%, which speeds and improves the healing process!
There are 75 trillion cells in a human body and they all need electrons to communicate with each other. Laser light delivers required electrons and photons directly to the cells and enhances both their ability to communicate with each other and their ability to produce ATP which cells require for optimal functioning.
Light is the energy of life and photobioactivation is a term applied to a light stimulus that initiates and/or accelerates a physiological response. The photons of laser light penetrate through the skin and are absorbed by special components in your body’s cells called chromophores. Just as photosynthesis creates energy for plants, the absorption of the photons by your cells causes increased production of cellular energy. In areas of injury or damage, this means there is more energy available to improve the rate and quality of healing.
The Russians in 1965 discovered that a single frequency light in a laser can stimulate DNA in damaged cell tissue and they found that infrared, red, and violet wavelengths were the fastest way to regenerate tissue. Recovery from injuries went from ten days down to two days. This response has been noted both in humans and animals. See the following URL.
In recent years low level lasers have been marketed directly to the consumer for self treatments and many of these have been found to be very low cost yet very effective. An excellent example is the LifeShield pocket laser which is a 405nm 5mW Class 3A laser that can be carried around in one’s pocket or purse. This laser has more than 2200 positive beneficial healing frequencies programmed into the diode and these frequencies are then transferred to the body using the vehicle of water. It is meant to be used on all food and drinks taken into the body. When used on water and food it helps to counteract the damage of toxic substances (e.g. sugar and other artificial sweeteners), toxic chemicals in food and the air, and other negative energetic sources e.g. microwaves.
The LifeShield laser counteracts the negative frequencies, replacing them with beneficial frequencies which then have a positive action on the body. In addition this laser has multiple frequencies that are used for the control of pain and has been found to be very effective in pain control. The body has innate wisdom which enables it to utilize the frequencies for it’s optimum performance. After drinking a small sip of water that has been treated with the LifeShield Laser, one notices an immediate improvement in balance.
The root of most disease processes is abnormal inflammation in the body. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is a non-specific test that measures inflammation in the body. Rouleaux formation found on a blood smear translates into an increased ESR. Click here to see how inflammation in the body is controlled using the LifeShield laser.
So, in simple terms, what does all this mean? It means that because of the laser’s biostimulatory nature, laser therapy has the potential to help any scenario whereby the body’s cells are not working at their optimum potential. For patients, that means relief from acute and chronic pain, reduced inflammation and muscle spasms, improved range of motion and restored function. Some patients notice improvement after the very first treatment, while others may take a few treatments. Laser therapy is not magic and may not work for everyone. Certain condtions may be so involved or longstanding that the cells are not capable of responding. For more severe areas of involvement one should consult a medical professional. In many cases the personal laser can be used in conjunction with the advice of your medical professional. No sensation is felt as the low level laser is applied…..it is a painless treatment. In addition it is very safe. There are two ways that laser light can damage tissue; if it is very concentrated (high power density) or if the photons are very high energy. Low level therapy lasers use power densities that are far below the levels that can cause tissue damage, although they still should not be shined into one’s eyes. Ultraviolet light has very high-energy photons capable of ionizing molecules, but LLLT use visible and near-infrared light, which only cause molecular vibrations. One could argue that therapy laser light is safer than sunlight!
In summary, low level laser therapy is very safe, painless, and relatively very inexpensive when compared to alternatives.
