What is Laser Therapy?
Laser therapy, also known as low-level laser therapy (LLLT) or cold laser therapy, is a medical treatment that uses specific wavelengths of light to stimulate accelerated healing. Unlike surgical lasers that cut or burn tissue, therapeutic lasers work at a lower intensity, targeting damaged cells and tissues without causing harm. The light penetrates the skin and interacts with cells to promote cellular regeneration and reduce inflammation.
What Does Laser Therapy Treat?
Deep tissue laser therapy is a versatile treatment that helps relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and accelerate healing for a variety of acute and chronic conditions. Our chiropractors often use it to enhance recovery, improve function, and support long-term wellness across many areas of the body.
- Back and Neck Pain: Laser therapy eases inflammation and muscle tension to relieve pain and restore mobility.
- Arthritis: It reduces joint stiffness and swelling while promoting tissue repair.
- Joint Injuries: Laser therapy supports healing in injured ligaments and joints, improving strength and range of motion.
- Tendonitis and Bursitis: It calms inflammation and speeds recovery in irritated tendons and bursae in conditions like Tennis Elbow and Golfers Elbow.
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Laser treatment reduces nerve irritation and helps restore wrist and hand function.
- Sciatica: It decreases nerve compression and inflammation to ease radiating leg pain.
- Plantar Fasciitis: Laser therapy relieves heel pain by targeting inflammation in the plantar fascia.
- Sprains and Strains: It accelerates healing of soft tissue injuries while reducing pain and swelling.
- Sports Injuries: Laser therapy helps athletes recover faster from overuse injuries and acute trauma.
- TMJ: It reduces inflammation, relieves pain, and promotes tissue healing in the jaw area.
Other conditions laser therapy can treat include bone spurs, rotator cuff strains and tears, DeQuervains, Tenosynovitis, Enthesopathies, stress fractures, Runners Knee, sciatica, bunions and shin splints.
What Kind of Laser Therapy Do Chiropractors Use?
At Total Body Chiropractic, our chiropractors use the Medray Quad Class IV Laser. This state-of-the-art therapeutic laser delivers consistent, targeted light at specific wavelengths to maximize tissue repair and pain relief. The Medray Quad Laser offers up to 30.2w of power, the strongest quad wave on the market today. With 650, 810, 915, and 980 wavelengths, therapeutic healing is administered over different layers and depths for maximum healing, rehab, and pain control.
The Medray Laser handheld device offers several advantages:
- Precision targeting: Reaches deep tissue layers without damaging the skin.
- Customizable settings: Adapts to the type and severity of the condition being treated.
- Fast results: Many patients feel relief in just a few sessions.
The Medray Quad Class IV Laser stands out for its clinical effectiveness and safety, making it a trusted option in chiropractic care.
How Does Laser Therapy Work?
Laser therapy works at the cellular level through a process called photobiomodulation. Here's what happens:
- Light Absorption: The laser emits light energy that is absorbed by mitochondria, the “powerhouses” of cells.
- Increased ATP Production: This boosts the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)—energy that cells use for healing the injured area.
- Improved Circulation: Blood flow increases, bringing more oxygen and nutrients to injured tissues.
- Inflammation Reduction: Laser light helps reduce swelling and acts as an analgesia, suppressing nerve signals that transit pain to the brain.
- Accelerated Repair: Cells regenerate faster, which means quicker healing times.
- Restored Muscle Tone: Laser therapy stimulates trigger and acupuncture points to restore muscle tone and balance.
The process is safe, efficient, and deeply restorative. It not only relieves symptoms but also promotes long-term healing. Most conditions are treated a few times a week to start.