The Truth About Low Level Laser Therapy
What Is Low Level Laser Therapy? The word LASER, an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation, is the name of a device projecting intense radiation of the visible, ultraviolet, or infrared portions of the light spectrum. The laser instrument produces a very thin beam of light in which high energies are concentrated. The laser light, when reduced in its energy output to a low level, can be utilized for: Reduces pain through the production of endorphins Reduces inflammation by suppressing inflammatory enzymes and enhancing the release of anti-inflammatory enzymes Increases circulation by enhancing lymphatic drainage Increases ATP production by electron donation providing cells with useful energy Releases tight muscles (both smooth and striated) Speeds bone repair by stimulating fibroblastic and osteoblastic proliferation The application of this technology is called “Low Level Laser Therapy.” Low-level lasers today are manufactured using semi-conductors, which are computer-like chips grown from various pure elements or combinations thereof. Combining the elements of InGaAlP makes visible light in the range of 630 to 685 nm; combining GaAlAs produces light in the range of 780 to 870 nm; and, combining GaAs produces infrared laser diodes in the 900nm range. Because the amplification of light by the stimulated emission of radiation (the definition of a laser) occurs as an open system, it provokes completely new structure and sensitivity in the living tissue of an organism to which the light is beamed. The medical director of the Pain Clinic and Laser Center of Locarno, Switzerland, Zlatko Simunovic, M.D., F.M.H., writes: “Laser therapy [LLLT] is a natural and biological therapy, because even from early ages, man has considered the light of the Sun to be responsible for his health. Human kind simply cannot live without the light, a fact proved by evident lack of light in the sick cell.” Laser light restores health to just such an ailing cell. How Low Level Lasers Operate The stimulated emission of a laser is obtained by controlling the instrument’s energy in its excited state and introducing the correct radiation to trigger it. The laser’s excitation occurs from collisions of its atoms of light with electrons discharging from the instrument’ s power source. Laser beam buildup occurs and photons pass through the instrument’s extraction mirror so that the laser beam gets reflected back into the laser’s active medium. Dr. Morton Walker, DPM, writing in The Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients (The Beneficial Applications of Low Level Laser Therapy, Nov 2002, #232, p.94-100): “low level laser therapy reenergizes (re-polarizes) injured cell membranes and increases the mitochondria energy by up to 150% which speeds and improves the healing process” What Can Low Level Laser Therapy Do For My Patients & Practice? Quoting Dr. George Gonzalez, DC in the September 9, 2003 issue of Chiropractic Economics: “Laser therapy is exciting for doctors not only for the results it delivers to patients, but also for the benefits it gives to doctors. These benefits include: More Referrals Because it is fast and effective, patients talk about it. Easy to use Simply turn on the laser and hold it on the area of complaint. Research has shown that this protocol alone increases healing time up to 30 percent! Time Saving Patients often feel better within 30 seconds. Effective Low level laser therapy improves healing time, increases range of motion and decreases pain. Body Saver The laser prepares the patient for treatment. It quickly softens tissue and increases range of motion so you won’t have to work as hard. According to Dr. Melyni Worth, Ph.D.: “Laser irradiation of tissue cultures has shown that units of light energy (photons) are absorbed by enzymes which react to light within the cell. Visible red light is absorbed within the mitochondria and infrared light is absorbed at the cell membrane, resulting in a change in the membrane permeability, increased ATP levels and increased DNA production. 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 and production of new capillaries and an increase in density of the capillary bed. Reductions in scar tissue formation and keloid adhesions also occur. A reduction of pain and inflammation results from this treatment, as does the stimulation of nerve regeneration, muscle relaxation and atonicity. There is also an indication that laser light therapy helps to increase the immune system response.” Again from Dr. Morton Walker’s The Beneficial Applications of Low Level Laser Therapy: Advantageous actions of low level laser therapy take place in all organs and tissues of the body for the creation of good cellular functioning once again. Listing their antipathological and prophysiological internal and external benefits would have me producing a very long series of human conditions and treatment results—maybe several hundred. I will furnish a mere handful here. They include: A reduction of pain by the body’s production of endorphins; The diminishing of inflammation from suppression of tissue excitation; The stopping of a tissue’s influx of fluids; The disappearance of swelling, redness, and heat; The elimination of pain; The elevation of lymphatic drainage; The increase of blood circulation; The flow of healing enzymes into a traumatized area; The measurable showing of up to 75 percent increase in enzymes; The spasm release of tight muscles (both smooth and striated) which had been creating chronic pain, joint stiffness, and decreased mobility; The speeding up of bone repair from the stimulation offered by fibroblastic and osteoblastic proliferation; The canceling wave effect of viruses, fungi, bacteria, and a variety of parasites so that they fail to survive as pathological organisms. Since the biostimulative, regenerative, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic characteristics of low level laser therapy had begun during the past half-century, a massive number of laboratory and clinical studies have been conducted. Perhaps upwards of 2500 published pieces have appeared in the medical literature in the form of clinical journal articles, magazine articles, letters to the editor, official reports, lectures, books, and more. Clinical Case Studies Prove Low Level Laser Therapy’s Effectiveness Blood Pressure – Umeda tested the effects of a low level laser on the control of blood pressure via energy administered via the medulla oblongata. The results from a group of 30 patients suffering from hypertension were positive in 80% of the patients. Laser Therapy. 1990; 2(2): 59 Carpal Tunnel Syndrome – low level laser therapy has been approved by the FDA as an adjunct treatment method for this condition. Epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow) – Simunovic treated 324 patients . . . complete pain relief and restored functional ability were achieved in 82% of the acute patients and 66% of the chronic cases. wJ Clin Laser Med & Surg. 1998; 16 (3): 145-151 Fibromyalgia – Longo treated 846 patients with fibromyositic rheumatism during a 15 year period. About 2/3 benefited from the treatment with regard to local pain, hypomobility and phlogosis. J Clin Laser Med Surg. 1997; 15 (5): 217-220 Headache/Migraine – Wong treated 20 patients with migraine or symptoms resembling migraine. The pain disappeared after 1-5 minutes. Proc 9th Congress Soc Laser Surgery and Medicine, Anaheim, CA: 2-6 Nov. 1991 Low Back Pain – Soriano performed a double-blind trail with elderly people suffering from chronic low back pain. Treatment was effective in 71% of the laser group and 36% of the sham group. The pain disappeared completely in 45% of the laser group and 15% of the sham group. Lasers Surg Med. 1998 Suppl 10, p. 6 Pain – low level laser therapy has been approved by the FDA as an adjunct treatment method for pain related to shoulder injuries. Rheumatism/Osteoarthritis – Palmgren conducted a controlled double-blind study on 35 patients with rheumatoid arthritis of the hand. In the experimental group, grip strength and movement were improved while swelling, pain and morning stiffness were reduced. Lasers in Medical Science, 1989; 4: 193. Wound Healing – Palmgren investigated the effect of low level laser therapy on infected abdominal wounds after surgery. Healing time to half wound size was 6.8 days in the laser group compared to 14 days in the placebo group. Lasers Surg Med 1991; Suppl 3:11 Acupuncture - ... In addition, laser light can be used to stimulate acupuncture points in a non-invasive, pain-free manner. Low Level Laser Therapy Provides New Treatment Possiblities, Dr. Melyni Worth, Ph.D., World Equine Veterinary Review, Vol. 3, No. 3, 1998 Allergic Rhinitis – Neuman & Finkelstein studied 50 patients in a double-blind randomized study. Following treatment with a 660 nm red laser 72% of the treatment group reported improvement of symptoms as compared to 24% of the placebo group. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 1997;78:399-406 Bacterial Infection - …in research led by Michael Hamblin of Mass. Gen. Hospital and Harvard Medical School, mice with surgically induced wounds were dosed with bioluminescent bacteria to create potentially lethal infections. Utilizing a 665 nm laser diode photodynamic therapy (low level laser therapy) the researchers found that “infected wounds healed significantly faster with the PDT method. PDT shows promise as a topical antimicrobial alternative that may work even faster than antibiotics.” The Journal of Infectious Diseases, June 1, 2003, PP 1717-1725. Is Low Level Laser Therapy Safe? There are over 1500 published studies and not one of them mentions any negative side effects of semi-conductor diode lasers at the 5mW range. Low Level Lasers are safe, non-toxic and non-invasive; there has not been a recorded side effect in over 1700 publications. There are many advantages with low level laser therapy: 1. It is risk free. 2. It is non-invasive. 3. It is painless. 4. It can not cause cancer. 5. It does not enhance tumor growth. 6. It can be combined with other treatments. 7. And, side effects are rare. The FDA defines Class I low level lasers as non-significant risk devices. The Q1000 is a Class I non-significant risk laser devices. In Laser Therapy pages 102-103, (Prima Books, available by calling 605-342-5669) Jan Tuner and Lars Hode state: “We must first make it clear that the radiation we are dealing with here is visible light or infrared radiation and nothing more. The purity of the light does not in itself entail any risk…” “Can laser therapy cause cancer? The answer is no. No mutational effects have been observed resulting from light with wavelengths in the red or infrared range in doses used within laser therapy.” “Do high doses of laser therapy damage tissue? Reasonable doses given in the course of laser therapy have proved to cause no macroscopic or microscopic damage to tissues.” The Most Important Thing To Consider When Buying I talk with literally dozens of professionals who are considering low level laser therapy every month, and for the most part, the questions each of them asks are pretty similar to the questions you might have right now. FDA Approval - In February 2009, Qlaser received FDA approval for Over the Counter use as a treatment of pain related to Osteoarthritis of the hand Programmable Frequencies - QLaser has pre-programmed over 31 helpful frequencies Most lasers manufactured today DON’T have the technology necessary to eliminate the body’s tendency to polarize against electro- magnetic radiation (laser energy) incorporated into their products. As such, the energy and frequencies they emit are never utilized fully by the body. The QLaser system has a patented process for ensuring that the body accepts and effectively utilizes the energy being provided. Wavelength – The QLaser system uses 7 different wavelengths in order to achieve maximum benefit. We also have special enhancer probes that treat specific body conditions. For example, a 635 nm red light laser is an effective and beneficial wavelength for certain health issues…mostly soft-tissue type problems. There is no question that it will produce results. On the other side of the coin are 830 nm infrared light lasers, which are very good for situations in which you need more energy and stimulation and deeper penetration – like for hard-tissue (bone, tendons, ligaments, cartilage and nerve regeneration) problems. The QLaser System includes all of the following: 1. A red light laser 2. An infrared light laser 3. And a third laser tool designed specifically for soft-tissue and organ use, with 12 different laser diodes, 8 LED’s, 7 different wavelengths The products we offer present you with the only true low level laser therapy system available in the US today Price - Even better, the price of this complete system…the entire toolbox of low level laser tools that you need in your practice… is priced less than most of the competition’s individual devices! Other Considerations When Purchasing A Low Level Laser • We give you the opportunity to try our products essentially risk-free for a full 30 days. • Our Standard warranty is two years, and can be upgraded to five years. • The QLaser System comes with a complete protocol manual. Our products offer you the greatest combination of features and benefits for the price paid of any laser products available. They are made in the USA; carry the most risk-free opportunity to test low level laser therapy of any manufacturer in the world; offer you a complete low level laser therapy system – at a fraction of the cost our competitors will charge you for an individual laser device. |
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