Low Level Laser Therapy, What Is It and How Does It Work?

 

I have been keenly interested in the healing properties of low level laser therapy (LLLT) commonly referred to as Cold Laser Therapy. I hope this concise discussion encourages patients to discuss the efficacy of LLLT for their condition with their physician how to increase height after 21 for boys.

What is Cold Laser Therapy?

Lasers have been used in medicine since the early 1960′s. They were initially used by ophthalmologists as fine precise cutting tools. Laser surgeries soon became commonplace in other medical specialties. Lasers were also used to cauterize wounds and incisions.

Some years later in 1968 Endre' Mester experimented with lower powered lasers to see what effect they would have on living cells. Laser frequencies which were low enough so as not to create significant heat, hence the term "Cold Laser". This led to a famous study that showed non-healing or very slow healing ulcers could be healed by exposing them to low (a.k.a. Cold) laser energy. Numerous studies were conducted in the 1970's proving LLLT accelerated healing on a cellular level but was still not widely accepted by western medicine. After hundreds of research efforts over the last 30 years LLLT is becoming a more common modality of healing.

Today the FDA approved uses for Cold Laser Therapy include:

Muscle and joint pain

Stiffness associated with arthritis

Pain associated with muscle spasms

Hand pain and wrist pain associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Neck pain

Lower back pain

Wound healing

This makes LLLT a reasonable choice for fibromyalgia, diabetic ulcers, sprains, strains and repetitive stress injuries.

How do Cold Lasers work?

Photosynthesis allows plants to convert light to energy. Chlorophyll traps the light energy and it is converted to ATP by cell respiration. ATP is the fuel of living cells.

Similarly in human cells, Cold Laser beam energy (low-level frequencies which produce no heat) can stimulate cytochrome c oxidase in mitochondria to increase ATP. This increases cell metabolism and the cells survive longer and repair faster. This phenomenon is often called photo bio-stimulation, photo bio-modulation or laser bio-stimulation.

Current research shows that Cold laser therapy can increase cell metabolism and efficiency in skin, tendons, ligaments bones, spinal cord, and nerve tissue.

Studies are now underway investigating Cold Laser therapy and stroke recovery, macular degeneration, and heart muscle regeneration for heart attack victims.

The fact that the laser energy enhances the body's ability to heal itself without the use of drugs or surgery makes it a very good fit for the chiropractic office.

Dr. Fordiani received a BA in Biology from St. Michael's College in Colchester Vermont, He received a full academic scholarship and Gold Medal research grant funding from the Cornell University Graduate School where he studied nutritional biochemistry and conducted research on both the Cornell Campus and the U.S. Department of Interior Tunison Laboratory in Cortland N.Y.. He received a Doctor of Chiropractic from Life University in 1986. Dr. Fordiani serves as an instructor to health professionals in Michigan, conducting State accredited continuing education courses. He is in full time practice as a Madison Heights Chiropractor in Michigan.