Pain management is really a field where many practitioners get frustrated. Inside our clinic we see it on a regular basis as most of the more difficult cases can be found in after they have observed everyone else and a chiropractor is their final resort. Chronic pain doesn't always imply that we must do more, sometimes what seems like a very little treatment can produce marvelous results.
Take laser therapy for instance; this is a popular treatment now from from foot fungus to weight reduction. Now personally I haven't seen the studies that it is effective for all of the numerous uses people are finding for this but I know from the study and from my very own clinical experience that it is an effective therapy for pain management together with a number of the more traditional methods like physical therapy, chiropractic, acute injury and chronic injury management protocols and dynamic neuromuscular stabilization.
Lasers for used in pain therapy are beginning to gain recognition in this country. The FDA cleared Low Level Laser Therapy for used in pain, inflammation, and wound healing in 2002; however, the advantages of LLLT have already been recognized and successfully used overseas for many years. Studies have shown LLLT to lessen neck and back pain by as much as 70% without known side effects.
The theory is the laser excites the targeted cells in the injured tissue, causing the cells to send out a signal that healing must take place in the area being treated. This signal travels through the entire bloodstream, connective tissues, and nervous system to significantly speed up your body's response and healing time. Interestingly, Continue reading have also found that LLLT boosts healing through the entire body, not just in your community being treated.
Many would be surprised to discover that more is not better when it comes to LLLT; the effective dose is quite small. Typical treatments can take as little as five minutes and are administered many times per week over a training course of 2-3 weeks for maximum and lasting effect. Inside our clinic it is one of the most used modalities. Often patient respond quickly with reduced subjective complaints, decreased muscle spasm, and increased ROM of the affected area. For anyone who is suffering from carpal tunnel, neck and low back pain, tendonitis, knee pain or a variety of painful conditions, give laser therapy a try to see if it is right for you.