Low Intensity Laser Therapy

Mission

1. Reduce pain to the point of total elimination

2. Restore normal daily activities without the use of drugs or pain killers

3. Restore normal range of joints movement

4. Restore the desirable quality of life

Advantages of Low Intensity Laser Therapy

• Safe

• Non-Toxic

• Non-Invasive

• No side effects

• Cost effective

• Promotes rapid healing

• Convenient

• Works in conjunction with alternative medicine modalities

• Alternative to invasive treatments such as:
      - analgesic medication,
      - NSAID’s medications, and
      - Surgeries

Applications and benefits

1. Tissue repair such as wounds repair, ulcers, bed sores, burns and grafts, muscle tears, rotator cuff tears, tendons tears, ligament strains, ligament sprains, fractures, subluxations, sports injuries, fibromyalgia, lacerations

2. Inflammatory conditions, tendonitis, bursitis, myositis, fascitis, synovitis, general tissue inflammatory conditions

3. Chronic and acute pain control for low back pain, arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, discogenic radiculopathy, vertebrogenic radiculopathy, calcification, chondromalacia patella, neuralgia, head and neck injuries, whiplashes, and Achilles tendonitis

4. Joint pain issues such as rheumatic pain, arthritis, TMJ, knee joint pain, ankle joint pain, hip joint pain, shoulder joint pain and carpal tunnel syndrome, medial and lateral epicondylitis (golfer’s elbow), sciatic pai

5. Skin lesions such as acne, venous stasis ulcers, diabetic ulcers, dermatological concerns

Characteristics of Therapeutic

• The laser beam must have a specific wave length to be in the therapeutic range

• Different wave lengths produce different color

• Sound wavelengths, electromagnetic wavelengths and light wavelength vary in their wavelength from kilometers from radio transmission to nanometers or less for laser beam

• The laser beams must be coherent, where all the wavelength of the laser beam are synchronized

• The laser beams must be directional, where all beams should be traveling in the same direction

• The laser beams must be monochromatic (red), where the beam is of one specific color to be therapeutic

Basis of Low Intensity Laser Therapy

Low Intensity Lasers Therapy (LILT) is based on the properties possessed in a beam of red light emitted by a special laser beam generator. The basis of this beam of laser is the photon, just as atoms are the fundamental units of matter. Photon travel at 300,000 Km per second (186,000 miles per second) faster than any other known particles known to human. At this speed the photon can orbit the earth 7.5 times in one second or travel from New York to London 53.98 times in one second. These special properties of photon were tamed for human’s benefits and health.

Laser light beam travels as a uniform wave of energy in a straight line.
Lasers come in many colors but the red color has more power to penetrate the tissue and reach a target organs.

Mode of Action Low Intensity Laser

1. Laser light increases the permeability of the cell membrane to cellular exchange of ions Ca++, K+, Cl-, Na+

2. Stimulates the specialized properties of specialized cell such as mast cells and macrophages

3. Improves nerve conduction

4. Enhances mitochondria’s replicatio

5. Cumulative effects

What produces the laser beam..?

Low Intensity Lasers Therapy (LILT) employs the use of monochromatic light emission ( one color beam) from a low intensity laser diode (250 milliwatts or less) or an array of high intensity Super Luminous Diodes (providing total optical power in the 1000-2000 milliwatt range) to treat musculoskeletal injuries, chronic and degenerative conditions and to heal wounds.

How does the photon works..?

The laser light source generator is placed in contact with the skin at the affected area allowing the photon energy to penetrate the tissue. The photon travels to interact with various intracellular biomolecules in the mitochondria (the power house of the cells) and contacts one or more of the electrons in the orbits surrounding the atoms of one or more particles.

Let’s assume that the photon transfers its energy to the electron at orbit “2” raising it to a higher energy orbit to “3”. Later, the electron would return to its stability, in the process of returning from orbit “3” back to the original orbit “2” it will release energy that stimulate an energy cascade that activates the mitochondria.

This process results in the restoration of normal cellular function and enhancement of the body’s healing processes.

Is Low Intensity Laser Therapy (LILT) Safe..?

There is no doubt in my mind or in the mind of any person that a treatment or any treatment must pose high safety margins. The treating doctor, the treating therapist and the patient all seek a treatment that have very low side effect and very high therapeutic efficiency.
Low Intensity Lasers Therapy (LILT) poses these exact features, safety, very low side effects and very high therapeutic efficiency.

Low Intensity Lasers Therapy (LILT) is efficient, safe and effective if applied as per its protocol by a trained doctor or trained therapist.

In a comparable question a person may ask are natural fiber pills safe..? or are Tylenol pills safe..? in the fiber pills case, it is safe to take fiber pills if the patient takes the pills as was instructed by his treating physician. On the other hand, despite the fact that the fiber pills are natural, but if the patient over-doses on these fiber pills then an undesirable symptoms of constipation or colon trouble will result.

The same applies to the Tylenol patient. Again and from the point of view of medical doctor, Tylenol pills are safe if the patient takes Tylenol pills as instructed by her physician. On the other hand if the patients do not follow the doctor’s instructions then many undesirable symptoms will result.

Low Intensity Lasers Therapy (LILT) is not any different from the principles discussed above and it is not any other treatment or therapy. Low Intensity Lasers Therapy (LILT) is safe if applied as instructed. Its safety is implied in the name being “low level” if compared to a surgical laser beam which is high and fast.

Clinician Information

Short Term Effects of Low Intensity Laser Therapy (LILT)

• Stimulating the cells of the body to release a natural morphine like molecule (beta-endorphins) which helps to control and inhibit the sensation of pain

• Stimulating the cells of the adrenal gland to release Cortisol (cortisol is the precursor of cortisone). Normally the adrenal gland releases cortisol to combat stress associated pain (trauma or the disease process)

• The short-term effect is significant in 5-10% of cases during or after the conclusion of the initial treatment, but is not as important as the long term or cumulative effect

Long Term Effects of Low Intensity Laser Therapy (LILT)

• The laser beam releases a photon that stimulate the energy in cellular electrons in the body of mitochondria (the energy house of the cells) to produce energy ATP (Adenosine Tri-Phosphate). ATP production revives the cells and improves cellular metabolism

• DNA (desoxyribosenucleicacid) production, the protein building block of tissue is substantially increased

• Neurotransmission is facilitate due to elevated levels of serotonin and acetylcholine

• Mitochondrial activity is stimulated resulting in cell replication etc.

• Modulation of macrophages, fibroblasts and other cells

• Angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels)

• Regulates cell membrane potential, essential in NA, CL And k ion transfer (electrolyte balance)

• Cytokines and other chemicals enhancing cellular communications are released

Other Effects

• The immune response is stimulated

• Lymphatic drainage is improved

• The histamine response is positively altered

• Production of growth hormone is increased

• Stimulation of the healing processes is accompanied by relief of symptoms

It should be noted that many other positive physiological activities are modulated and extensive research is currently in progress to fully explore these changes.

Summary

Absorption as a result of photon bombardment of various bio-molecules in the cell results in the transformation of light into biochemical energy. This is a cumulative effect and requires sufficient stimulation in order to initiate response. Typically 5-20 treatments varying from 15-30 minutes in duration are required. The end result of low intensity laser irradiation is the restoration of normal function of the cell unit. Conversely, worldwide research to date has failed to record any negative effects from this process. It should be noted that normally functioning cells are not adversely affected by the irradiation. In contrast to other therapies, low Intensity Laser Therapy is curative rather than simply modeling symptomatology.

Continued research at Meditech in Toronto and other laboratories should further enhance the effectiveness of this existing technology. After treatment the patient may have an exacerbation of pain for a varying period of time. If this occurs, utilize pain medication, and/or ice and let the therapist know prior to the next treatment.

Medical Application of Low Intensity Laser Therapy

The potential for medical application of Low Intensity Lasers Therapy (LILT) exists in a great number of medical fields. The musculoskeletal problems most effectively treated are:

i. General

• Repetitive stress injury
• Wrist numbness and pain, (Carpal tunnel syndrome)
• Rotator cuff tear
• Fibromyalgia
• Reflex sympathetic dystrophy
• Temporomandibular joint problems (TMJ)

ii. Injuries

• Ligament and tendon tears
• Fractures with associated soft tissue injuries
• Facet syndrome
• Contusions
• Bulging and herniated discs

iii. Inflammatory

• Tendonitis
• Myositis
• Synovitis
• Bursitis
• Planter fascitis
• Rheumatoid arthritis

iv. Degenerative

• Osteoarthritis
• Chondromalacia patella
• Discogenic and vertebrogenic
• Radiculopathy
• Calcifications (e.g. bone spurs)

v. Other Applications

• Wound healing
• Dermal ulcers:
    1) Venous stasis
    2) Atherosclerotic
    3) Contact
    4) Diabetic
• Burns:
    1) Thermal
    2) Chemical
• Lymph edema Dermatology:
    1) Shingles
    2) Dermatitis
    3) Psoriasis
• Gout
• Sinusitis