Laser Therapy Blog

The Top 5 Conditions Laser Therapy Can Help Alleviate When Nothing Else Works
By Guest Blogger, Dr. Perry Nickelston

Some musculoskeleteal conditions are more difficult to resolve than others. They become constant chronic reminders of just how vulnerable we are to injury. Traditional therapeutic modalities and programs often hit a wall in helping chronic pain problems, forcing people to rely on pain medication or unnecessarily living with symptoms. Class IV laser therapy may be a simple, effective, and fast acting treatment option for stubborn conditions.

Whenever there is pain, there is biological chemical damage to cells of the body. These chemicals cause inflammation, swelling, pain, and tissue damage. Acceleration of tissue repair is the long-term goal in resolving pain. So how can Lightforce Therapy Lasers help? Laser therapy stimulates cellular regeneration and repair on the cellular level via a process known as photobiomodulation. Light penetrates deep into the body to stimulate repair to the most often damaged tissue structure (myofascial connective tissue).

What are some conditions that resolve with Class IV laser therapy when nothing else works?

1. Tendinitis- An overuse syndrome where micro-trauma damages tissue via constant wear and tear on areas with high impact, stress, and external load. Common locations are the elbow, ankle, shoulder, and knee. Laser therapy to the injured area and surrounding fascial structures lessens fascial adhesions and increases microcirculation. Often only a single session is needed to feel a significant improvement in symptoms.
2. Plantar Fasciitis- A stubborn condition that is tough to get rid of. Patients can suffer years without any change in long-term relief. Laser therapy on the plantar surface of the feet alleviates tension up the entire back line of fascial tissue. Reduction of tension along the back helps improve the foot and heel strike improving impact patterns of the foot and pain.
3. Arthritis Pain- Swelling and inflammation from joint compression can be debilitating. Often the only relief patients get is from strong prescription pain and/or anti-inflammatory medication. Long term use of which can cause damage and side effects to the liver and digestive system. Laser therapy can significantly reduce pain and inflammation associated with arthritis, thus allowing dosages of pain medication to be decreased or often eliminated.
4. TMJ Syndrome- Severe jaw pain may be caused by trigger points in the muscles of mastication and or discal irritation in the condyle. Laser is a noninvasive way to reach the deep muscles and joint space of the jaw, reducing irritation and pain. Application of laser to the jaw, cervical spine and head relaxes muscle tension and tone which are causative factors in joint misalignment.
5. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome- Clinical case study for laser therapy was performed on carpal tunnel syndrome patients over a decade ago in the US. Laser therapy applied to the wrist, cervical spine and arm may alleviate nerve irritation and friction from fascial structures. Numbness, tingling, and paresthesia symptoms are reduced with laser light stimulation. Pressure around the nerve bundle in the wrist is lessened with the increase in microcirculation. Laser therapy is an effective alternative to invasive surgical intervention.

Often a series of 6-10 Class IV laser therapy sessions are required for optimal results.

You have a therapy laser – now how do you start using it?  Implementing any new technology into practice can be a daunting task.  How do you engage your staff?  How do you communicate with clients?  How do you attract new clients?  Here are our top 5 suggestions for how to integrate laser into your practice:

1. Conduct an Open House:  This is an opportunity to invite clients to come experience laser therapy treatments and for staff to practice communicating with clients about laser therapy benefits.
2. Get Video Testimonials:  Take short video testimonials of clients who are seeing positive results.  Keep the videos to 60 seconds or less.  With the permission of the client post the video on YouTube, your website and your practice’s Facebook page.  This is a fast, easy and free way to spread the word.
3. Cultivate Referrals:  Give a presentation to a local practice that you are hoping to get referrals from.  Bring the therapy laser and demonstrate treatments.  They will be able to feel the difference for themselves and provide you with referrals with confidence.
4. Attend a Community Event:  Attend a local race and set up a table.  Provide athletes with treatments before and after the race.  This is a great place to network and attract new patients.
5. Involve the Staff:  Have weekly or biweekly staff meetings to get feedback from the staff on patient acceptance and any obstacles or successes they are seeing.  This is a great opportunity for your staff to learn from each other and improve client communication based on the experiences of others.

The key to successful integration is clear staff communication.  Everyone in the practice should know what the therapy laser is and how it can help patients.  As staff and patients see clinical improvements word will spread.

In addition to these tips LightForce Therapy Lasers also offers the LightForce Compass which is a full integration tool kit complete with resources to help you accomplish the 5 tips listed above and much more.  Staff educational resources, client education information, iPad with laser therapy app and print collateral facilitate implementation.

 Side effects of painkillers are notoriously unpleasant – ranging the gamut from drowsiness to risk of addiction. Many of us search for drug-free solutions to pain that don’t negative impact our day-to-day life. And some, for example Air Force pilots, don’t have the option to use drugs to manage pain at all.

For those who seek to avoid drugs as a solution for pain management Class IV Laser Therapy can be a great answer. Lasers for pain are becoming more and more mainstream as they become more prevalent in professional and collegiate sports. Therapy lasers reduce pain associated with inflammation and swelling. Other tips to reduce the need for prescription drugs:

•  Stretch thoroughly before and after exercise.
•  Wear shoes with good support – this small step can make a big difference in low back pain.
•  Adopt better sitting and standing posture, poor posture is a major contributor of back pain.
•  Take a break – if you are in pain don’t muscle through it, reduce the intensity of your activity and give your body the opportunity to recover.
•  Take a Yoga class, increasing your flexibility can help increase mobility.

Before you turn to the ibuprofen for that chronic knee pain you have from your daily jog consider the difference a 3-minute Class IV Laser Therapy treatment can make. Feel the difference with LightForce Therapy Lasers, utilized by more than over 75% of Major League Baseball to manage pain and speed recovery without prescription drugs.