If you are curious about laser therapy and you are interested in pursuing treatment, here are some answers to questions you may have.
Q: Can it help me?
A: If you have pain or inflammation that is bothering you, there is a good possibility laser therapy can help you. Most often used for pain from musculoskeletal traumas or issues, Laser Therapy can help with recovery from:
- Acute injuries, such as strains, sprains, and shoulder/knee injuries.
- Repetitive-use injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome & tennis/golf elbow.
- Traumatic injuries, such as post-motor vehicle accident with cervical strain/sprain.
- Chronic issues such as frozen shoulder and arthritis.
- Neuropathy, Radiculopathy & Fibromyalgia pain.
- Post-surgical recovery and rehabilitation.
Q: What do I need to do to get an appointment for Laser Therapy?
A: If you are already a patient of ours, you just need to get a referral from the doctor you see for each area or issue you would like treated. If you are not a patient with us, you will need a referral from your current doctor or you will need to come in for a consultation with our doctors to see if you are a good candidate for laser therapy.
Q: How much does it cost?
A: Our appointment for LT cost $50 for a 15-minute appointment.
Q: Does it hurt? Is it hot?
A: No, the only thing that you should feel during treatment is a warming sensation of the area being treated. It should never get hot and there will be no pain from the laser.
Q: How does it work?
A: During therapy, the power of the laser allows it to penetrate surface tissues and deliver energy to deeper systems and tissues. When cells absorb this light energy, it initiates a series of events in the cell that can result in normalizing damaged or injured tissue, a reduction in pain, inflammation and an overall reduction in healing time by increasing intracellular metabolism. Specifically, it stimulates the cytochrome oxidase enzyme in the mitochondria to produce more ATP, which is the basic form of energy for our cells. In short, it allows your cells to produce more energy enabling a cascade of events which result in decreased pain and or inflammation and quicker recovery times.
Q: Is it safe?
A: Yes, Laser Therapy is very safe compared to some of the other options in treating pain when you look at the whole scope of treatment. Our staff is specially trained with the laser to ensure safety and comfort during the treatment. There are no side effects besides a minor, temporary warming of the treatment site from the laser and there are no drugs to take. The only thing going into your body is light energy. The radiation in the laser is non-ionizing, (it does not alter your cellular DNA like nuclear or X-Ray radiation) and it is not at the UVA/UVB wavelength like sunlight.
Q: How long does it last?
A: Depending on the size and depth of the area to be treated, treatment times typically run from 3-10 minutes per session, appointments are 15 minutes. As far as treatment plans go, most are typically 2-3 times a week for 2-3 weeks or 2-3 days in a row followed by 2-3 times a week for 2-3 weeks.
*Each issue and patient is different; plans can vary*
Q: How quickly can I expect results?
A: Most people report comfort from the warming sensation of the treatment and say that they feel better after their initial appointment but that can be temporary. Most people should begin to feel noticeable relief after the first 2-3 appointments and we recommend 7-10 appointments for a typical treatment plan.
Q: Is there any research available on Laser Therapy?
A: Yes, there is a growing amount of proper clinical research on Laser Therapy that is easily found online. The American Physical Therapy Association(APTA), the World Health Organization(WHO) and the International Association for the Study of Pain(IASP) have all endorsed Laser Therapy as a beneficial treatment.
An article about utilizing Class 4 lasers in laser therapy:
http://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?id=51423
A study done on the effects of Class 4 laser therapy vs. simple physical rehabilitation in whiplash injuries:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23888293
A study done by LiteCure, a laser company, on the effectiveness of Class 4 laser therapy:
Q: What should I wear to my appointment?
A: For laser therapy to be effective, there needs to be direct skin contact during treatment. For that purpose, you need to wear clothing that allows for comfortable access to the bare skin of the treatment area. We do have gowns available if preferred.