Laser Therapy and Photomedicine

Inner Strength Chiropractic & Rehab is now offering laser treatment, as the perfect addition to chiropractic care. It is not instead of, but a great supplement to chiropractic treatment.

What is Laser Treatment?

Laser therapy also called “cold laser” or Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) is a technology, which has been proven to be remarkably safe, painless and effective in treating both acute injuries and chronic pain of various kinds. It has been shown to be an extremely useful addition to our treatment.

It has been particularly helpful in stubborn, persistent, and “difficult-to-treat” conditions, including chronic back pain and neck pain, arthritis, plantar fasciitis and other joint and muscle pains.

The laser gives us the ability to provide you with an improved level of safe, non-invasive, drug free pain relief and accelerated healing of injuries.

The treatment involves the application of red and near infra-red light over injuries. Laser and LED beams of light are used to stimulate the cells in the body that repair tissue, reduce inflammation and reduce pain. It is a highly effective treatment for acute soft tissue injuries, chronic pain syndromes and slow healing wounds.

Therapeutic Benefits of Laser Therapy

• Anti-inflammatory Action: Laser light reduces swelling, leading to decreased pain, less stiffness, and a faster return to normal joint and muscle function.
• Rapid Cell repair: Laser light accelerates cellular reproduction and healing.
• Faster Wound Healing: Laser light stimulates fibroblast development and accelerates collagen synthesis in damaged tissue.
• Reduced Fibrous Tissue Formation: Laser light reduces formation of scar tissue, leading to more complete healing, with less chance of weakness and re-injury later.
• Increased Vascular Activity: Laser light increases blood flow to the injured area.
• Stimulated Nerve Function: Laser light speeds nerve cell processes, which may decrease pain and numbness associated with nerve-related conditions.

Conditions treated using laser therapy

• Acute soft tissue injuries e.g. sprains/strains

   

   

• Back and neck pain

   

   

• Osteoarthritis

   

   

• Chronic pain syndromes e.g. RSI, frozen shoulder, chronic low back pain

   

   

• Fractures and non-union fractures

   

   

• Nerve pain (Neuropathic pain) e.g. from disc injuries

   

   

• Ulcers e.g. diabetic ulcers

   

   

• Post operative care: Post operative pain, tendon repair, post mastectomy lymphoedema, infected wounds,

   

   

• Burns

Advantages of Low Level Laser Therapy over medical treatment

• Safe and quick results. Can be used immediately after injury, over pins, plates and bony prominences.

   

   

• Drug free pain relief without the unwanted side-effects. It doesn’t have side effects like some anti-inflammatory medication and painkillers.

Clinical effects of low level laser therapy

• Reduces swelling and inflammation: Stimulates lymphatic drainage to reduce swelling.

   

   

   

• Reduces healing time: Stimulates the cells around the injury to increase the speed, quality and strength of tissue repair.

   

   

• Pain relief: Inhibits the nerves related to the site of pain.

How does LLLT or Photomedicine therapy work?

Therapeutic lasers work by supplying energy to the body in the form of photons of light. The tissues and cells then absorb this energy, where it is used to accelerate the normal rate of tissue healing.The red and near infrared light (600nm – 1000nm) commonly used in LLLT can be produced by laser or high intensity LED. The intensity of LLLT laser and LEDs is not high like a surgical laser and there is no heating effect.

The effects of LLLT are photochemical (like photosynthesis in plants). The laser can affect cell membrane permeability and aid the production of ATP (the fuel for our cells) thereby providing the cell with more energy, which in turn means the cell is in optimum condition to play its part in a natural healing process.

Safety of Low Intensity Laser Therapy