Laser Use In Pain Relief
Lasers often make us think of those red pointers our teachers used in school, or perhaps a red beam of light across the museum floor in the movies. Lasers actually have extremely beneficial uses in modern day, and currently, the field of medicine is tapping into that well.
Companies across the world have been interested in the benefits of lasers as a solution to various ailments for quite some time. An international company is currently researching the benefits of laser treatments for inhibiting infections, such as the deadly bacterial infection, MRSA. There have also been studies shown to increase the healing rate of soft tissue wounds and burn wounds when treated with the low-level laser therapy.
The first company to be awarded FDA approval for lasers as a medical modality in the US did so through research on chronic neck and shoulder pain. Their study involved pain caused by osteoarthritis, muscle spasms, as well as spinal strain. They had a variable and a control group, one treated with a low-level laser, the other with a placebo light. Both groups were asked to self-evaluate their pain level before and after the treatment. Those with the real laser reported 65% higher levels of pain relief than those with the placebo light. The company released their conclusion stating the low-level laser was a safe and effective device for single-use temporary pain relief.
The reason laser therapy is so effective is that it works on the cellular level. Rather than invasive surgeries, or medicines added to the bloodstream, the laser stimulates natural body processes. Individual body cells produce a chemical called ATP that acts as a fuel throughout the body. The laser treatment further stimulates the production of ATP. As this “fuel” courses through the body, it speeds up bodily functions, such as healing body tissue. This process leads to intense pain relief as the body heals itself.
Now that there is FDA approval for medical lasers, many companies are jumping on the bandwagon. There are medical spas that have begun using laser therapy with other methods of treatment like Erchonia medical percussors, as well as a plethora of new studies being conducted on various ailments.
The laser treatment for neck and shoulder pain has begun to revamp the medical community, and thousands of peoples’ quality of life.
About the Author:
Ryan Frank is a 23 year writer and blogger living in San Diego, CA.
