Pain is information that there are pathological changes in the body affecting physical and mental health. In such a situation, the natural human reaction is the desire to get rid of the ailment. There are many different methods in the field of physiotherapy and rehabilitation to help get rid of pain. One of them is laser therapy - a method that shows above-average effectiveness and produces amazing results in the treatment of many injuries, conditions and diseases. It is worth looking into the effect of this method in the non-surgical treatment of pain, as it is a way to return to full function and excellent health.
How does laser therapy work in treating pain?
Laser therapy is one of the non-invasive rehabilitation treatments, which helps level inflammation, regenerate tissues and cells and improve metabolism. As a result, laser therapy is extremely important in the non-surgical treatment of pain. It is commonly used in orthopedics, physiotherapy and rehabilitation. It is recommended for athletes, physically active people, as well as patients who are struggling with various types of diseases, injuries and traumas.
The treatments use modern laser devices that emit a beam of light (electromagnetic radiation). It is an energy carrier (light energy) that reaches the mitochondria of damaged or diseased tissue, contributing to the stimulate growth processes and regenerate damaged cells. This in turn leads to faster healing of injuries, tissue regeneration, reduction of inflammation and elimination or relief of pain.
Laser therapy therefore has anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anti-edema effects. It nourishes and oxygenates the cells, increasing their regeneration rate. In addition, it improves blood circulation in the targeted area and increases ATP synthesis. By focusing the light energy precisely on the injured area, the patient can feel instant pain relief.
Laser therapy is based on a photochemical process called photobiomodulation (English. photobiomodulation - PBM) and that is why it is sometimes referred to as the photobiomodulation therapy (English. photobiomodulation therapy - PBMT). Different forms of therapy (such as low-energy or high-energy) are used in treatment. Each is recommended for a different case, and thus should be selected on a case-by-case basis to meet patients' needs.
Although laser therapy has been used recently, it is already showing many health-promoting benefits that other treatments do not. Laser therapy is still being studied by scientists, but its beneficial effects are unquestionable. This is indicated not only by research and scientific evidence, but also by clinical practice in physiotherapy or rehabilitation.
What kind of injuries, injuries and ailments does laser therapy treat?
The use of laser therapy in the treatment of pain is very wide. It is used for, among other things: muscle pain, inflammation, neuralgia, as well as complaints related to trauma to the musculoskeletal system (e.g., sprains, dislocations). It shows healing properties in both acute injuries and chronic ailments. The indication for the use of laser therapy is therefore all kinds of diseases and injuries of the musculoskeletal apparatus. This is because it acts on tissues of various types: nerves, tendons, muscles, joints, ligaments and many others.
Scientific research and clinical practice show that laser therapy is effective in:
- tendonitis,
- sports injuries,
- Swelling and soft tissue injuries,
- joint pains,
- headaches,
- Carpal tunnel syndrome,
- plantar fasciitis,
- fibromyalgia,
- Back and neck pain,
- Knee pains,
- Arthritis.
Naturally, these are just some of the many ailments and conditions for which this form of non-surgical treatment is helpful. Indeed, studies show that Deep tissue laser therapy significantly reduces pain and improves quality of life for elderly patients struggling with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
There are known cases in which Laser therapy was able to restore a lacrosse player to full fitness within 3 days, who had been suffering from a quadriceps-thigh muscle injury for 2 weeks and was unable to bend his knee below 90 degrees. With this therapy, patients with nagging back pain felt immediate improvement after a 7-minute laser treatment.
What are the advantages of using laser therapy?
The primary task in treating an injury or ailment is to reduce pain and inflammation. This brings relief to the patient and allows the patient to begin the next stages of rehabilitation. Laser therapy is invaluable in the process of reducing pain and treating injuries non-surgically, as it produces instant results - often after just a few minutes. But that's not all: regular and scheduled use of this therapeutic form provides long-term benefits.
The accuracy of this therapy is also a huge advantage. The use of the laser makes it possible to treat a specific disease area and reach the appropriate tissues, located at different depths. What's more, Biostimulation influences the restoration of cells, resulting in faster regeneration of the body. Patients who receive laser therapy usually return to full function more quickly than when other forms of treatment and rehabilitation are used.
An example is provided by one study, which found that laser therapy High-energy is effective in treating patients with cervical spine injury, also compared to conventional and simple exercise rehabilitation. The study patients experienced reduced pain intensity, and were able to return to work and full function more quickly with the treatment.
The treatments are safe, painless and do not cause complications. Technological advances also allow the use of lasers of different types, which vary in terms of power, frequency or wavelength of light emitted. As a result, specialists are able to tailor the type of therapy to individual patients' needs. In this way, rehabilitation or physiotherapy treatments are even more effective, resulting in a quick and lasting recovery. In many cases, laser therapy offers a chance to avoid surgery (for example, in situations where mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome is present). Moreover, it protects patients' bodies from prolonged and tiring treatment. Thus, laser therapy is emerging as a leader in rehabilitation treatments for treating pain, eliminating inflammation, regenerating tissues and restoring full health.
Laser therapy - contraindications
Absolute contraindications to the use of laser therapy are. Pregnancy in women and malignant skin cancer. Blood clotting problems, thrombosis or tattoos at the site of lesions are other contraindications to this form of treatment.
People (relative contraindications) who take medications that increase light sensitivity, are menstruating, have epilepsy or have skin injuries should also be wary of laser therapy.
On the other hand, there are no contraindications to laser therapy when it comes to the age of patients, which makes it a good treatment method at any stage of life.
Report all information about your condition to your specialist during your medical appointment!
Helpful remedy for pain and ailments
Laser therapy for pain management is undoubtedly an effective solution, but the process should be planned by qualified specialists. Depending on individual cases, other rehabilitation procedures and treatments may also be included in the plan.
Bibliography
- Chatterjee, P., Srivastava, A.K., Kumar, D.A., Chakrawarty, A., Khan, M.A., Ambashtha, A.K., Kumar, V., De Taboada, L., Dey, A.B. Effect of deep tissue laser therapy treatment on peripheral neuropathic pain in older adults with type 2 diabetes: a pilot randomized clinical trial. BMC Geriatr. 2019 Aug 12;19(1):218.
- Conforti, M., Fachinetti, G.P. High power laser therapy treatment compared to simple segmental physical rehabilitation in whiplash injuries (1° and 2° grade of the Quebec Task Force classification) involving muscles and ligaments. Muscles Ligaments Tendons J. 2013 Jul 9;3(2):106-11.
- LaRue, B. All About Outcomes At one successful practice, deep-tissue laser meshes with the core value of customer-driven care. ADVANCE for Physical Therapy & Rehab Medicine., 2014.
- Grace, K.J. Shining New Light Mounting research supports laser therapy for epicondylitis and tendonitis. ADVANCE for Physical Therapy & Rehab Medicine., 2013.