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LLLT Therapy: Cold Laser
Cold laser, also called Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT), uses safe non-thermal light photons to accelerate the body's natural healing processes. This light energy can penetrate right through all the layers of our skin with ease. It's especially useful for pain, joint and neurological problems, wounds and burns, dental issues, lymph node swelling, tinnitus, and bone/tissue regeneration, plus many more applications.
Cold Laser Therapy has been used in clinical practice all around the world for over four decades. In 1916, Albert Einstein conceived the theory of Light Amplification through Stimulated Emission of Radiation or LASER. In 1967, Professor Andre Mester began using low power lasers in medicine. Dr. Mester is recognized by many as the grandfather of laser therapy.
Cold laser therapy can stimulate all cell types including muscle, ligament, cartilage, nerves, etc., so a number of conditions can be treated by cold laser therapy. Typical conditions that may be treated by cold laser therapy include:
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Arthritis pain
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Back pain
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Carpal tunnel syndrome
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Fibromyalgia pain
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Knee pain
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Neck pain
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Tendonitis
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Blood (Circulation)
While researching cancer cells in 1974, Prof. Fritz-Albert Popp made the astounding discovery that all cells store photons of light, particularly around DNA. He showed that cancer and other diseased cells have a significantly different level of photon emission to normal cells, and theorized that this stored internal light may be a major part of how cells communicate with each other in the body to maintain overall health. Subsequent Russian DNA research validated his findings. The therapeutic uses of cold laser are backed by many medical studies.
This is a photograph showing living blood cells prior to cold laser treatment:
The second photograph (above) is the same blood after 45 minutes of cold laser therapy for blood cells.
Many studies show that Cold Laser therapy has a very significant effect on cleaning our blood and reducing blood fat. (3)
The photos above are the before and after pictures of blood cells using a Blood Cleanser Protocol using Tobias's Cold Laser unit. Cold laser therapy is a contact method (cannot be done remotely) normally applied for 30 minutes, but longer times are fine. The Cold Laser Wrist treatment is designed to be worn around the wrist, where it can easily treat the entire blood supply, the carpal tunnel, and the meridian complex, but it can also be used on other areas.
Other Cold Laser options are used for pinpoint application to any area of the body, and can be used in the mouth, or inserted into ear canals and nostrils.
Effectiveness of Cold Laser Therapy
For years, physicians have been using cold laser therapy on patients who are seeking effective, alternative methods for pain relief. Since 1967 there have been over 2,500 clinical studies published worldwide. Many of these studies are double-blinded, placebo-controlled and have demonstrated cold laser therapy to be a proven method for pain relief.
How Cold Lasers Work
Cold lasers are handheld devices used by the clinician and are often the size of a flashlight. The laser is placed directly over the injured area for 30 seconds to several minutes, depending on the size of the area being treated and the dose provided by the cold laser unit.
During this time, the non-thermal photons of light that are emitted from the laser pass through the skins layers (the dermis, epidermis, and the subcutaneous tissue or tissue fat under the skin). This light has the ability to penetrate 2 to 5 centimeters below the skin at 90mw and 830 nm.
Once the light energy passes through the layers of skin and reaches the target area, it is absorbed and interacts with the light sensitive elements in the cell. This process can be compared to photosynthesis in plants - sunlight is absorbed by plants, which is then converted to usable energy so that the plant can grow.
When cells absorb this light energy, it initiates a series of events in the cell that is theorized to eventually result in normalizing damaged or injured tissue, a reduction in pain, inflammation, edema and an overall reduction in healing time by increasing intracellular metabolism. (1,2)
Summary
Cold laser therapy is one option among a variety of treatment approaches that can potentially provide pain relief or pain reduction, especially for patients seeking a treatment without the use of surgery or drugs.
It can be used alone or in combination with a number of other therapies.
While it is still a relatively new treatment option and there is incomplete information about its optimal treatment protocol, it is considered a viable treatment option for those seeking an alternative to invasive treatment.
Cold laser therapy is yet another method in the set of tools to help assist in pain relief, and it is considered a reasonable treatment option for certain types of pain by most health care professionals.
Contraindications
Cold laser therapy should not be used over any suspicious cancerous lesions, or carcinoma, over the thyroid, on pregnant patients, and there should not be direct irradiation of the eyes, as the laser can cause permanent damage to the eyes.
Pregnant women are recommended not to undergo the procedure, since its effects on unborn children are not yet known. The doctor and the patient should use protective eyeglasses so that there is no direct eye exposure.
References:
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Martin R. Laser-Accelerated Inflammation/Pain Reduction and Healing. Practical Pain Management. Nov/Dec 2003 3(6):20-25.
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Marovino T. Cold Lasers in Pain Management. Practical Pain Management. Sep/Oct 2004. 4(6):37-42.