With FDA approval and much more than 30 years of research, low level laser therapy (LLT) may soon become a frontline treatment option for doctors that are looking to not only relieve patient's pain but additionally accelerate injury healing. Laser therapy has been used worldwide to treat more than 100 different conditions! A few of the conditions that respond the very best to LLT are sprains/strains, carpal tunnel syndrome, swelling and inflammation in joints, wounds and burns, muscle spasms, low back and neck pain and various knee and elbow pains!
Dr. laser therapy for pain , a Hungarian physician first noticed the tissue healing effects of low level laser irradiation while trying to use a laser to treat cancer tumors back 1967 so this is actually the 30 year anniversary of the therapy! Since that time, low level laser therapy has been researched around the world with more than 2500 published articles concerning its effects.
LLT is an extremely safe type of therapy and can be utilized when other forms of electrical therapies are contraindicated such as when metal implants, prosthesis or screws are involved and it may be used safely on patients of most ages. The only real contraindications for use are on cancerous tumors (although that is debated) and it shouldn't be used on the thyroid for hyperthyroid conditions since it further increases the thyroid's function.
That's basically what the LLT does. It does increase cellular function by stimulating the photo receptors that are on cell walls. That is why it accelerates healing. For that reason, one of the outstanding areas that they are able to utilize the laser (besides it's amazing effects on neuromuscular problems) is in burn healing. Since nothing touches your skin, the incidence of infection is extremely low while at exactly the same time the recovery time is reduced! It's hard to beat a deal like this!
In our own practice, we have seen some remarkable results with the laser in both pain reduction and accelerated healing of tissues which range from sprained ligaments, strained muscles, and bruises, all the way up to herniated and sequestrated discs. Once we specialize in herniated disc treatment, we've used LLT extensively in this area and seen dramatic results!