If you’ve sustained an injury that results in inflammation and pain it is possible to benefit from consulting with a health expert, such as chiropractors or physical therapists for help in recovering. The therapist can employ various treatments to ease the pain and increase circulation to the inflamed tissue. One of these treatments is the cold laser treatment. It is referred to as laser low-level therapy (LLLT).
This article can help you understand what cold-laser therapy can do and the ways it is utilized to heal injuries. The article will also discuss the research that has been conducted on cold laser therapy in order to help decide if this is something you should consider to treat your specific injury.
What is Cold Laser Therapy?
It is kind of treatment that uses low-intensity light is injected into your body, mostly over inflamed or injured tissue. The light that is low intensity, also known as “cold laser” is believed to boost circulation and reduce inflammation and pain in damaged tissues.
The cold laser therapy shouldn’t be mistaken for high-intensity lasers that surgeons may employ to cut tissue. The diodes that emit light in cold laser therapy aren’t sufficient to cut tissues, but they’re strong enough to penetrate skin and aid in healing following injuries.
How does cold Laser Therapy Benefits You
Cold laser therapy employs light-emitting photons that are brought to the skin using the help of a wand that has numerous diodes emitting light. Once the photons are introduced to the skin and travel through the damaged tissues, chemical modifications to mitochondria of the cells take place, causing that they are able to boost the production of the adenosine triphosphate. It is believed that this will cause positive healing for the tissue.
However, not every light can be used to help the healing process to begin. Low-level laser therapy, generally with a 600- or 1,000-nanometer wavelength, is the best way to improve the flow of blood and speed up healing of injured tissues.
Different types of conditions treated by Cold Therapy
Your doctor may recommend Safe Laser bérlés to treat number of illnesses. This could include but aren’t only:
Arthritis
Tendonitis
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Ligament sprains
Muscle is stretched
Joint pain
Fibromyalgia pain
The shoulder is frozen
Bursitis
Burns and injuries to soft tissues
Any injuries to the soft tissues that cause discomfort or inflammation within your body can benefit from cold laser therapy.
Pros and Cons Cold Laser Therapy
If you are considering having cold laser therapy to treat injuries, you doctor will explain to you the purpose of the therapy. They should also discuss with you the potential advantages and potential risks of treatment with cold lasers.
The benefits of cold laser therapy are:
The treatment isn’t non-invasive.
The procedure is generally not painful.
The use of cold lasers can aid in the healing of your injury.
The risks associated with the cold laser treatment are not significant However, you must be aware of the risks. Some of the disadvantages to having the procedure performed could include:
You might require multiple methods to achieve positive outcomes.
The cost of treatment can be high If you have insurance plan does not cover the treatment.
Certain studies suggest treatment with cold lasers are not more effective than placebo (treatment without benefit for therapy) for injuries to the musculoskeletal system.
Being realistic about the benefits of the cold laser treatment for your injury can allow you to make an informed choice regarding whether you should undergo the procedure or not.
What to Expect
When you or your healthcare professional decide to utilize cold laser therapy to treat your injury, it is helpful to know what to expect when you undergo the treatment. When using cold laser therapy your body part affected by the injury will be exposed and you and your healthcare professional might wear special glasses to protect your eyes during the procedure.
A tiny handheld device that emits light will be placed on your skin , and then placed in position for a couple of minutes. The illumination will be applied to the skin and the site of injury for 30 to 60 minutes.
Does It Hurt?
It is not recommended to feel any pain or discomfort while receiving treatment. the light does not generate heat. the laser. If you experience symptoms or pain, consult your physician, who could require you to move your body, or stop the treatment.
Following the treatment you will not experience pain or discomfort.
Many health professionals will suggest that you do gentle exercises to treat your particular condition, to increase flexibility (capability of an joint to move through various actions) and the strength of the affected body part. Remember that low-level laser therapy must be a aspect of your rehabilitation experience. Research suggests exercises and movements for a variety of muscles and injuries.
Effectiveness
If you are considering treatments with cold lasers it is important to be aware of the research behind the treatment. There are some studies that support the treatment with low-level lasers to treat neck pain, back discomfort and tendonitis.
A meta-analysis from 2015 (examining information from a wide variety of studies independently) discovered that treatments using cold lasers can be beneficial to the reduction of pain in patients suffering from lower back pain. However, the studies did not reveal an increase in functional movements however.
Another meta-analysis showed joint pain can be reduced by the treatment with cold lasers. However, there was no evidence discovered in increasing overall performance in patients receiving the treatment.
If you suffer from tendonitis (inflammation of a tendon that connects bone to muscle) or the tenosynovitis (inflammation of the tendon as well as the sheath around it) the doctor who treats you might recommend laser therapy on you.
A meta-analysis from 2021 of cold laser therapy to treat tendinopathy found that “there is moderate-to-low quality evidence that shows the fact that the process of photobiomodulation (cold laser) is effective as an alternative or standalone treatment for tendinopathy-related conditions.”
Bottom Line
There’s a mix of research that suggests cold laser therapy can be effective in relieving pain under certain conditions. But, it isn’t likely to help in improving the performance in musculoskeletal disorders. (And perhaps the placebo effect may be at play in some studies. Maybe improvements in pain were discovered due to the patient receiving any treatment for their illness.)
Discuss your concerns with your doctor prior to beginning any cold laser treatment for your health condition.
Can Cold Laser Therapy Work?
There is evidence to suggest the cold-laser therapy may help alleviate pain, but improvement in functional mobility is not usually seen with treatment with cold lasers, as a stand-alone treatment.
Summary
If you’re experiencing discomfort or restricted movement because of a soft tissue tendon, joint, or injury, you could be able to benefit from working with physical therapists to return to your normal activities. The therapist can employ different treatments including the cold-laser therapy.
Laser therapy that is also referred to as light therapy at low levels is a treatment method that helps improve the healing process and flow of blood to damaged tissues. It is painless and is used as part of a complete rehabilitation program that includes the exercise of functional mobility and.
Laser therapy using cold is a non-invasive procedure that involves the application of light at specific wavelengths into damaged tissues. The light produces the effect of photobiomodulation, increasing blood flow and speeding up cellular processes to speed up healing. If you’re injured, consult your doctor about whether the cold laser treatment is appropriate for you.