Nowadays, it seems like many people around us suffer from some sort of pain. According to a 2016 CDC report, around 50 million American adults suffer from some form of chronic pain.
Chronic pain can last for weeks at a time and can even linger for years. It can present itself in the form of aches, burning sensations, or a stinging feeling.
Chronic pain is the most prominent reason people go to the doctor. It can stem from many problems like anxiety, depression, dependence on opioids, and many others.
What's dangerous about pain is that sometimes it can present itself without any reason, and that's where treatments like cold laser therapy and chiropractic laser therapy can be effective.
Treatments like these relieve pain while being non-invasive and medication-free. There are thousands of studies that show a lot of promise in laser therapy for chronic pain, which is why the FDA even approved it for various conditions.
While the results are promising, there's still plenty of research that needs to be done about laser therapy, its scope of application, and how it can work. To relieve people of different conditions.
At Home Rehab, we are at the forefront of cold laser therapy as it is one of our most significant categories of home rehab and relaxation solutions.
So we often encounter questions about laser therapy and its effectiveness on chronic pain. We decided to address it all, so let's check everything out!
What Is Laser Therapy?
Laser therapy goes by different names, like "low-level laser therapy" or cold laser therapy. It involves the usage of visible light radiation to induce a photochemical reaction within the cells. The name cold laser therapy comes from the fact that the light used in the treatment does not emit heat.
The light involved in the treatment falls in the visible light spectrum with wavelengths between 400 to 760 nanometers (nm).
It is enough to penetrate the skin, soft and hard tissue. It is also backed by clinical results that show improvement in conditions related to inflammation and pain and even help with healing.
What's The Science Behind Cold Laser Therapy?
The science behind laser therapy is simple. The light carries electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the mitochondrion in your cells, accelerating the production of adenosine triphosphate(ATP).
ATP is responsible for kickstarting the body's cellular processes. The radiation also encourages blood flow and heals tissue faster.
So what happens is that the radiation is absorbed by the dormant cells. That's what kickstarts the process. In contrast, the healthy cells remain unaffected by the laser.
The Cold Laser Therapy Process
The doctor will align the laser with the afflicted area in cold laser therapy. Then the doctor will turn the device on. Once it's turned on, the laser will penetrate the skin without causing any damage and allow your cells to absorb the light energy from the laser, which activates the cells.
The activated cells then work on suppressing the pain and helping inflammatory pathways. The treatment only lasts a few minutes. However, you may need a few appointments a week or month. But the best part is that the results last up to a year.
Cold laser devices have lasers that use about five and 500 milliwatts, whereas surgical lasers stand at about 300 watts, and that's why they can cut through the skin.
The FDA categorizes cold laser therapy devices as non-heating equipment. While there is a need for plenty more research on LLLT but the first time, it was found that lasers can help with healing back in 1967.
A Hungarian surgeon named Endre Mester found that laser light can stimulate healing in cells of mice. He then did another experiment where he treated skin ulcers in human patients. Since then, cold laser therapy has taken off.
Nowadays, physicians, dentists, physical therapists, chiropractors, occupational therapists, and other medical professionals use it to treat various ailments.
The cold laser space has come very far now, and you can even get laser therapy devices for your home and find pain relief from the comfort of your home.
What Can Cold Laser Therapy Treat?
Cold laser therapy nowadays has a wide range of applications, and more are being discovered as time progresses. Here are some of the things that cold laser therapy can help you with:
- Arthritis
- Back pain
- Fibromyalgia
- Muscle strains
- Neck and shoulder pain
- Plantar fasciitis
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Ligament sprains
- Tendinitis
- Bursitis
- Tennis elbow
Cold Laser Therapy And Pain
In cold laser therapy, cells absorb the electromagnetic radiation that promotes ATP production. In addition, muscles have a high concentration of mitochondrion. That means cold laser therapy can stimulate plenty of ATP production and speed up healing if you have muscle pain.
How Does Cold Laser Therapy Benefit Pain Management?
Coping with pain is hard. It's frustrating and often time-consuming, and it can be perilous. Treating pain with options like surgeries carries many risks and can lead to even more pain. That's where cold laser therapy can become a viable non-invasive option for people suffering from chronic pain.
You can talk to your physician and discuss your options on cold laser therapy. Unfortunately, going the drug route to treat pain can also lead to adverse side effects.
Typical pain medications are acetaminophen or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, which can lead to complications. Sometimes physicians can even suggest opioids, which are a dangerous route.
That's where cold laser therapy has been making waves, as it's a treatment that's not only non-invasive but also doesn't have adverse side effects. Here are some commonly known benefits cold laser therapy can provide:
- It's cost-effective.
- It's a non-invasive option.
- It accelerates tissue repair.
- It increases blood circulation and flows.
- It's completely safe and painless.
- It doesn't require any additional medicine.
- There are no side effects.
- There's no recovery period.
- It's fast.
- Provides long-term relief.
- It's highly customizable, so it fits everyone's needs.
Cold Laser Therapy: A Viable Pain Relief Treatment
As you can see, LLLT or cold laser therapy is widely used in treating pain and other medical conditions. More and more physicians are recommending cold laser therapy as a pain-free, non-invasive option for managing and treating pain.
Talk to your physician about it today to see if it's a viable option for you and when they clear you for cold laser therapy, contact us. Home Rehab's curated list of cold laser devices is perfect for you to treat and manage your pain at home.
If you still have more questions about cold laser therapy or our other home rehabilitation solutions, drop them in the comments below or hit us on our socials. We will provide you with all that you need to know.
And with that being said, that's about all we have for you today. We will come back with something new for you soon. Until then, see ya!
