This treatment provides all of the following advantages:
- Accelerates wound healing. The energy from the cold laser speeds cellular growth and reproduction and prompts the development of fibroblasts, cells that play a vital role in wound healing. ...
- Reduces swelling and inflammation. ...
- Decreases scar tissue. ...
- Improves vascular activity. ...
- Enhances metabolic activity. ...
- Stimulates nerve function. ...
- Reduces pain. ...
Full Answer
What are the side effects of cold laser therapy?
- Acute and chronic pain
- Arthritis pain and inflammation
- Tendon and ligament sprains
- Lower back pain
- Muscle strains
- Soft tissue injuries
- Myofascial pain
- Fibromyalgia
- Neck and lower back pain
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
How often should I preform cold laser therapy?
“Because of how laser therapy works, it should be done two to three times a week, and you can go up to five times a week, but not many people have time for that,” says Dr. Meenan.
What is cold laser therapy and how chiropractors use it?
What’s cold laser therapy used for?
- Minor injuries and sprains. It’s also used to help reduce swelling and promote healing of the joints and soft tissue.
- Inflammation. Dentists use cold lasers to treat inflamed tissues in the mouth and to heal ulcerations. ...
- Aches and pains. ...
- Skin rejuvenation. ...
- Wound healing. ...
- Acupuncture. ...
- Future uses. ...
How can cold laser therapy help relieve pain?
You might need to combine cryotherapy with other approaches to pain management:
- Rest. Take a break from activities that can make your pain worse.
- Compression. Applying pressure to the area can help control swelling and pain. ...
- Elevation. Put your feet up, or elevate whatever body part is in pain.
- Pain medicine. Over-the-counter products can help ease discomfort.
- Rehabilitation exercises. ...
How long does it take for cold laser therapy to work?
Cold laser therapy does have several disadvantages. Patients do not typically get full relief or resolution from their pain symptoms after the first treatment. It takes a series of treatments, usually 8 to 30, depending on the severity and duration of the condition.
Does cold laser actually work?
Some doctors are skeptical about cold laser therapy and may not recommend it. In the past, it wasn't clear how light changes damaged tissues. Many doctors felt cold laser therapy was a sham. As new research proves that it does relieve pain, more doctors are in favor of it.
How long does a cold laser treatment last?
The typical course of treatment is 5-10 minutes, although it depends on the size of the area being treated. Acute conditions may require daily treatment, in particular if they are accompanied by significant pain. Chronic problems typically respond better when the treatments are received 2-3 times per week.
What does cold laser do for the skin?
This gentle laser treatment stimulates the production of new collagen and elastin in the skin to help smooth and tighten wrinkles and lines. It also kills bacteria and improves oxygen flow and energy within the skin to improve overall vibrancy and luster.
Is cold laser therapy painful?
Although you'll feel the laser device touching your skin, the procedure is painless and noninvasive. There will be no sound and you'll feel no vibration or heat. Each treatment typically takes only a few minutes.
How does cold laser reduce inflammation?
Laser therapy uses a process called photobiomodulation. Photons enter the tissue and interact with the cytochrome c complex within mitochondria. This interaction triggers a biological cascade of events that leads to an increase in cellular metabolism and a decrease in both pain and inflammation.
Can cold laser go through clothing?
The Erchonia Low Level Laser, aka cold laser, is a painless, high-tech, non-thermal healing laser light that can transmitted through the clothing and skin to treat the painful, restricted joints and muscles.
Does cold laser therapy break up scar tissue?
Modern day cold laser units have been specifically engineered to produce the essential wavelengths of light necessary to stimulate the damaged cells, break up the formed scar tissue, and stimulate the healing process.
What are the side effects of laser therapy?
What are the risks?bleeding.infection.pain.scarring.changes in skin color.
Can I use cold laser on my face?
Cold laser increases the speed, quality, and strength of cell tissue repair; increases blood supply to the affected area; stimulates the immune system; develops collagen and muscle tissue; helps generate new healthy cells and tissues; and promotes faster wound healing. It is safe to use on any skin type.
Does cold laser work for fat loss?
Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is a novel non-invasive procedure that lyses excess fat without the negative side effects associated with surgical methods such as liposuction. LLLT has been associated with reductions in waist circumference of 6–12 in. with six treatments.
What is the difference between red light therapy and cold laser therapy?
Lasers have a pin-point focus, while LEDs emit light at an angle (called a beam angle), which causes the light to spread out and become weaker as it travels away from the source. Laser red light therapy thus allows you to get the full concentration of light right on the area of the body you're treating.
How does cold laser work?
Accelerates wound healing. The energy from the cold laser speeds cellular growth and reproduction and prompts the development of fibroblasts, cells that play a vital role in wound healing. The result is a faster recovery from injury. Reduces swelling and inflammation.
What is cold laser therapy?
It is a versatile tool. Doctors, chiropractors, physical therapists, dentists, acupuncturists, and other medical professionals utilize cold laser therapy in the treatment of a wide range of issues.
How does laser therapy improve vascular health?
Treatment with laser energy encourages blood and lymph circulation, flooding the affected tissue with the raw materials the body needs to perform repairs on its tissues. Enhances metabolic activity.
Why are lasers considered hot?
The ones used to cut tissue or destroy tumors produce enough energy to heat the body's tissues; that's why they're considered hot lasers. Low-level lasers that do not emit enough energy to heat up cells are referred to as cold lasers.
How does laser energy help with healing?
The laser's energy spurs increased oxygen delivery to the targeted area, prompts a more effective immune response, and fuels a greater output of specific enzymes. This additional activity contributes to speedier healing. Stimulates nerve function.
What is a handheld light?
A health care professional uses a handheld device to apply low-level light to the problem area. Patients will feel the device against their skin, but it doesn't cause a cold sensation or trigger any pain.
Can cold laser therapy be used for spinal cord injury?
Although further study is needed, some experts believe that cold laser therapy will eventually be used to treat traumatic brain injury , spinal cord injury, degenerative nervous system diseases, and other serious health conditions.
Low-Level Laser Treatments for Pain
Brett Sears, PT, MDT, is a physical therapist with over 20 years of experience in orthopedic and hospital-based therapy.
What Is Cold Laser Therapy?
Cold laser therapy is a type of treatment in which low-intensity light is applied to your body, typically over injured or inflamed tissue. The low-intensity light, referred to as "cold laser," is thought to improve blood flow and decrease pain and inflammation to injured tissues. 1
How Cold Laser Therapy Works
Cold laser therapy uses light photons that are introduced to your skin with a wand that contains several light-emitting diodes. As the photons enter your skin and pass through injured tissue, chemical changes to the mitochondria of the cells occur, signaling them to increase the production of adenosine triphosphate.
Types of Conditions Treated by Cold Therapy
Your healthcare provider may use cold laser therapy to treat a variety of conditions. These may include, but are not limited to:
Pros and Cons of Cold Laser Therapy
When deciding to have cold last therapy for your injury, your healthcare provider should explain to you the goals of the treatment. Also, they should discuss with you the expected benefits and risks associated with cold laser therapy.
What to Expect
If you and your healthcare provider choose to use cold laser therapy for your injury, it helps to understand what to expect during the treatment. During cold laser therapy, your affected body part will be exposed, and you and your healthcare provider may wear special goggles to shield your eyes during the treatment.
Effectiveness
When choosing to have cold laser therapy treatments, you should have an idea of the research surrounding the therapy. There is some research supporting the use of low-level lasers for back pain, neck pain, and tendonitis.
What Is Cold Laser Therapy?
Cold laser therapy uses a handheld instrument to precisely focus specific light wavelengths to treat tissue. It has a photochemical effect similar to that of photosynthesis in plants and trees. Using the correct density of wavelength and light for an appropriate amount of time, often 30 to 60 seconds, prompts healing.
What Are the Benefits of Cold Laser Therapy?
Treatment with low-level laser therapy may be an alternative to medication or surgery. The most highly reported benefits include:
Which Conditions Can Be Treated With Cold Laser Therapy?
Cartilage, ligament, muscle and nerve cells can be stimulated with this type of therapy. As a result, several conditions can be treated with positive effects:
Is Cold Laser Therapy the Right Option?
Cold laser therapy has been proven to offer pain relief and improve healing in tissue for a variety of conditions and maladies. There is generally no need for medications or special preparation. This may make it a preferred treatment for those who prefer not to use drugs or take the risks often associated with surgery.
How does Cold Laser Therapy work?
Cold Laser Therapy or Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) is a treatment that utilizes specific wavelengths of light to interact with tissue and is thought to help accelerate the healing process.
How Cold Lasers Work
Cold lasers are handheld devices used by the clinician and are often the size of a flashlight. The laser is placed directly over the injured area for 30 seconds to several minutes, depending on the size of the area being treated and the dose provided by the cold laser unit.
How effective is Cold Laser Therapy?
For years, physicians have been using cold laser therapy on patients who are seeking effective, alternative methods for pain relief. Since 1967 there have been over 2,500 clinical studies published worldwide. Many of these studies are double-blinded, placebo-controlled and have demonstrated cold laser therapy to be a proven method for pain relief.
What is cold laser therapy?
Cold laser therapy is laser therapy that uses low-intensity laser light to stimulate healing, reduce fat, help circulation, and more. Have you heard the buzz about how a procedure called cold laser therapy or red light therapy helps people heal from a variety of pain ailments and health conditions?
Why is cold laser therapy called cold laser therapy?
During cold laser therapy treatment, the light interacts with the body's tissue to speed up the healing process.
What wavelengths do you use for red light therapy?
. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, clinicians use wavelengths measuring 600-700 nanometers for superficial tissue.
How long does a cold laser last?
The time the device is used can be anywhere from several seconds to several minutes.
What are the conditions that can be treated with cold lasers?
These are the most common conditions treated by cold laser or red light therapy: Muscle strains and spasms. Arthritis. Fibromyalgia.
Can a class 4 laser be used at home?
However, class four lasers have the ability to damage the body when they're not administered by a professional. That's why they are only sold to professionals. . Even if your doctor recommends a lower class laser at home, get written documentation, and a demonstration for the best chances of a safe application.
Is red light therapy safe?
You may wonder if red light therapy is a safe procedure. And with good reason. However, the answer is yes. Red light and cold laser therapy provide a non-invasive alternative solution. The treatment is also drug-free, which means no risk of medicine-related side effects caused by drug interactions.
What is cold laser therapy?
Cold laser therapy is one option among a variety of treatment approaches that can potentially provide pain relief or pain reduction, especially for patients seeking a treatment without the use of surgery or drugs.
How often do you have to go to the doctor for laser therapy?
Patients often have to return to the doctor for treatments at least 2 to 4 times per week. Old injuries may be aggravated for a few days after treatments, but for most patients this sensation is short term, lasting for a couple of days. Medicare and Medicaid do not cover cold laser therapy expenses. Some major medical insurance carriers do assist ...
Can you use cold laser on thyroid?
Contraindications. Cold laser therapy should not be used over any suspicious cancerous lesions, or carcinoma, over the thyroid, on pregnant patients, and there should not be direct irradiation of the eyes, as the laser can cause permanent damage to the eyes. Pregnant women are recommended not to undergo the procedure, ...
Is cold laser therapy invasive?
Cold laser therapy is a non-invasive procedure, meaning that it does not require a surgical incision. This means that there is no prolonged recovery time. Laser therapy also does not involve taking any medications, and many patients prefer to avoid taking medications. Studies have so far found that cold laser therapy does not have serious side ...
Does Medicare cover cold laser therapy?
Medicare and Medicaid do not cover cold laser therapy expenses. Some major medical insurance carriers do assist with payment and others do not cover any of the treatment.
Is cold laser therapy good for back pain?
Cold laser therapy is yet another method in the set of tools to help assist in pain relief, and it is considered a reasonable treatment option for certain types of pain by most health care professionals . For further reading: Pain Management for Chronic Back Pain.
What is cold laser therapy?
Cold Laser Therapy for Knee Pain. Cold laser therapy beams light energy at your skin to reduce pain and inflammation deep within an area of your body, like your knee. It’s used to treat knee pain from osteoarthritis (OA), as well as low back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), fibromyalgia, tendinitis, nerve pain, ...
How much does cold laser therapy cost?
Cold laser therapy could drain your wallet. One treatment session could cost up to $200. You might need up to 30 sessions to get the full benefits. Some insurance policies may not cover cold laser therapy.
How long does a cold laser pulse last?
It will either touch your skin or be very close to it. The device sends a quick light pulse into your knee that lasts from 30 to 60 seconds.
When was cold laser therapy invented?
Cold laser therapy was first developed in the 1960s. It’s also called low-level laser therapy (LLLT), soft laser therapy, or photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT).
Can you use cold laser for knee pain?
Results from cold laser therapy may vary, depending on the cause of your kne e pain, any other health conditions you have, or the exact laser treatment or device used. There’s no standard cold laser therapy dose or approach , so results can vary. Some doctors are skeptical about cold laser therapy and may not recommend it.
Does cold laser work?
If any of these is off, it may not work at all. Over-the-counter options may not work.
Can you use cold lasers for epilepsy?
Some people can’t do cold laser treatments. Don’t have cold laser therapy if you have any of these conditions: Epilepsy, because pulsed light can trigger your seizures. Cancer in the area being treated with lasers, including skin cancer lesions. Pregnancy, since doctors don’t yet know how lasers may affect a fetus.
