Laser therapy is a form of non-invasive medical treatment which has been shown to benefit a large range of short- and long-term conditions relating to our muscles and joints. It is particularly good at helping reduce pain and inflammation as well as accelerate the healing process.
Laser therapy works by the process of photobiomodulation. The laser floods the tissue with photons (light), which energises the cells and causes a cascade of events on a cellular level. The laser stimulates the parts of our cells that produce energy thus, photobiomodulation helps injured tissue heal more quickly. This can also increase circulation and decrease pain.
The benefit of the laser is that it can be used on acute (new) and chronic (long-standing) conditions without the side effects of medication.
What can Laser Therapy be used for?
The laser can be used for a range of different conditions such as:
- Neck and back pain
- Muscle strains/pain
- Osteoarthritis pain
- Temporomandibular (jaw) pain
- Headaches
- Joint swelling
- Tendinopathy (conditions of the tendon, including tennis elbow)
- Neuropathy (conditions of the nerves e.g. trapped nerve, sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome etc.)
- Plantar fasciitis
- Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)
- Lymphedema
- Post-surgery
- Fractures
Depending on your build, the area of the body and the condition being treated, your clinician will use varying treatment lengths and laser wavelengths.
Who can use the laser at Spinavita Chiropractic?
All of our clinicians at Spinavita are trained to use the laser. If you require any more information or are interested in treatment, book in online or give us a call.
References and Further Reading
Low back pain- Effect of diode laser in the treatment of patients with nonspecific chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled trial
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25141218
Joint disorders- A systemic review of low level laser therapy with location-specific doses for pain from chronic joint disorders
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12775206
Musculoskeletal disorders- Effectiveness of high intensity laser therapy in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30572425
Neck pain- Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in the management of neck pain: a systemic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo or active-treatment controlled trials
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19913903
Neuropathy- Sensory small fiber function differentially assessed with Diode Laser (DL) Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST) in Painful Neuropathy (PN)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23433028
Plantar fasciitis- The effect of high-intensity versus low-level therapy in the management of plantar fasciitis: a randomized clinical trial.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29627888
Subacromial Impingement Syndrome- Low-level laser and local corticosteroid injection in the treatment of subacromial impingement syndrome: a controlled clinical trial
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24519921
Short-term Effects of High-Intensity Laser Therapy Versus Ultrasound Therapy in the Treatment of People With Subacromial Impingement Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19482902
Tendinopathy- Photobiomodulation and eccentric exercise for Achilles tendinopathy: a randomized controlled trial.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26610637
Low Level Laser Treatment of Tendinopathy: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19708800
Benefits of High-Power Laser Therapy in Treating Knee OA
https://www.litecure.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/AASPT-2019-Newsletter_Benefits-of-High-Power-Laser-Therapy-in-Treating-Knee-OA.pdf
The light fantastic Laser therapy can be a non-invasive solution to reducing inflammation.
https://lightforcemedical.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Chiropractic-Economics_The-Light-Fantastic_Mark-Callanen.pdf
How do you manage muscle inflammation? Looking at how NSAIDS, Ice, and Laser Stack Up.
https://lightforcemedical.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Advance_How-Do-You-Manage-Muscle-Inflammation-Looking-at-How-NSAIDS-Ice-and-Laser-Stack-Up.pdf
