What is Cold Laser Therapy?
Cold Laser Therapy is a low-intensity laser therapy that stimulates healing while using low levels of light. Also known as low-level light therapy (LLLT) or photobiomodulation therapy.
Different wavelengths are needed to treat specific conditions. The light energy goes right through your skin. It can penetrate 2-5cm into the tissues, where it triggers a physiological reaction of the light sensitive components in the body's cells. The reaction may reduce inflammation, improve circulation and promote healing.
What can Cold Laser Therapy help with?
The most common conditions we see the best results at Spinal Solution are:
Pain, swelling and inflammation from musculoskeletal conditions.
Chronic injuries and arthritis
Chronic tendon injuries-tendinopathies.
Scar tissue and adhesions from old injuries and surgery.
Are there any side effects of Cold Laser Therapy?
Because LLLT is as safe as it is effective, there are no known long-term side effects of this form of light therapy. Because of the lower level of light frequencies, this type of laser does not heat up tissues, compared to other forms of laser therapies used in surgery to burn tumours or cauterise. Other than averting your eyes from the laser's red or infrared light and using special eyewear, the FDA has found no other red flags or adverse side effect of cold laser therapy.
Cold laser therapy is non invasive, it is very effective when combined with you other Modalities such as Chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture and soft tissue work.
What can I expect at my visit if Cold Laser Therapy is used?
The laser we use is non contacting, which means it is placed near the area we will be working on:
Sometimes an anti inflammatory cream will be rubbed on the area before laser application if we are working on reducing inflammation.
You may have some dry needling combined with cold laser therapy
You may also have massage applied in combination with Cold Laser. This can be done by hand, with some mobilisation, or using a massage machine. This combination is great for scar tissue, adhesions and post surgery.
Chiropractic Spinal Adjustments and Specific Joint Manipulation combined with Cold Laser Therapy is highly effective for acute and chronic conditions, such as Neck and Low Back pain, Knee and Shoulder pain.
How long does the session last and how long does the effect last for?
Usually the laser sessions last from 3-6 minutes. The majority of our patients get somewhere between a 30-50% reduction in pain after the initial session.
Unfortunately, patients do not typically get full relief or resolution from their pain symptoms after the first treatment. It often requires a series of treatments, usually 6-12 depending on the severity and duration of the condition.
Can Cold Laser Therapy help me?
Please call our practice and book a time to have a complimentary chat with one of our Practitioners at Spinal Solution in Crows Nest to see if Cold Laser Therapy can help your problem.
Cold Laser Therapy with Dry Needling for Chronic Trigger Points
Further Reading
The Use of Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) for Musculoskeletal Pain - www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov › pmc › articles › PMC4743666
The effectiveness of low-level laser therapy for nonspecific chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4704537/
Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in the management of neck pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised placebo or active-treatment controlled trials -The Lancet (2009) Vol 374 Issue 9705; Chow RT, Johnson MI, Lopes-Martins RAB, Bjordal JM
In chronic low back pain, low level laser therapy combined with exercise is more beneficial than exercise alone in the long term: a randomised trial. - Australian Journal of Physiotherapy (2007) 52: 155–160; Djavid GE, Mehrdad R, Ghasemi M, Hasan-Zadeh H, Sotoodeh-Manesh A, Pouryaghoub G
Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) for discogenic back pain - British Journal of Sports Medicine (2011) Vol 45, Issue 2; Malliaropoulos N, Akritidou A, Tsifountoudis I, Tsitas K
Low-Level Laser Therapy for Treating Low Back Pain: 12-Month Follow-Up - Journal of Pain & Relief 2019, Volume 9, Issue 1 - Trevor S. Berry, Paul J. Quarneri, Gregory Roche, and Travis M. Sammons
Immediate pain relief effect of low level laser therapy for sports injuries: Randomized, double-blind placebo clinical trial - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1440244016300020
Comments