Dr.Elumir MD,CCFP Multi Treatment Clinic

Low Intensity Laser Therapy In The News!

Low Intensity Laser Therapy in Calgary, Alberta

How Does Low Intensity Laser Therapy Work?
Low Intensity Laser Therapy increase cellular activity, reduces inflammation and increases ATP production thereby accelerating the healing process. Low Intensity Laser Therapy increases the quality, tensile strength and speed of tissue repair; provides pain relief; reduces inflammation; improves function of damaged neurological tissue and often used as an alternative to needles for acupuncture.

The effects of Low Intensity Laser Therapy are photochemical (like photosynthesis in plants). Red and near infrared light can affect cell membrane permeability and aid the production of ATP thereby providing the cell with more energy which in turn means the cell is in optimum condition to play its part in a natural healing process.

Dr.Elumir MD,CCFP Multi Treatment Clinic has assembled a team of health care professionals in Calgary, Alberta that have mastered the skill of low intensity laser therapy. If you suffer from any of a wide array of conditions, please do not hesitate to call 403-852-4946 today to setup a consultation. Our biggest priority is to help you get on your way to living a healthier lifestyle.

Low Level Laser Therapy reaches the Lancet Top 20 most downloaded research papers in 2010.

Five authorities endorsed LLLT in the last 3 years

• The Intl Assoc for the Study of Pain for myofascial pain syndrome
• The American Physical Therapy Association for Achilles tendonitis
• The World Health Organisation for neck pain
• The Lancet for neck pain
• The BMJ sports medicine journal for frozen shoulder.

Laser therapy is being used by Professional Athletes in all areas:

Low Intensity Laser Therapy Advantages
• It is a non-invasive and non-toxic procedure
• It is applied easily
• The treatment has been known to be extremely effective

Will Low Intensity Laser Therapy Help Me?

Dr.Elumir MD,CCFP Multi Treatment Clinic believes in the procedures we offer. As a patient at our clinic, you are in good hands. We want to help end your pain and suffering just as bad as you do. We could go on all day about the great deal of clinical studies that have showed extremely positive results, but it may not convince you.

Low Intensity Laser Therapy is a new science. In the past several decades, laser technology has changed immensely. Older clinical practices use significantly lower doses than what we use now.

Although low intensity laser therapy was first developed in Europe in the 1960s, adaptation of the practice in North America has been a much slower process. In saying that, laser therapy is considered an alternative (or complementary) medicine. This lends itself to a list of beliefs and pre-conceptions.

As health care and medical professionals, we are not here to promise miracles and provide you with false hope. However, we’ve conducted our research and have witnessed the vast improvements among patients after applying our low intensity laser therapy knowledge and techniques. We are confident in the efficiency and safety of low intensity laser therapy. We are offering you to do your own studies and maybe try the laser treatment yourself. That is the only way to truly understand our practice and principles.

Low Intensity Laser Therapy(LILT), also called (Cold lasers) because very low heat produced by this type of device, unlike lasers used in surgeries. LILT increase cellular energy and increase cellular activities like cell reproduction and regeneration. LILT stimulates an increase in cellular mitochondrial ATP production, which enhances and moderates cell activity. LILT has a positive effect on cell proliferation, immune cell function and the lymphatic and vascular systems. These results greatly improve wound and injury healing, in
significantly less time.

The effects produced by LILT are anti-inflammatory in response, which will reduce edema and acute swelling. Cellular metabolism and circulation is elevated in the treated area, thereby
reducing pain, improving overall mobility and increasing range of motion. Laser therapy
can decrease the sensations of pain experienced by nerves, and will increase cellular energy, which stimulates the cells to replicate and heal at a much faster rate.

SHORT TERM PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF LOW INTENSITY LASER THERAPY

• Production and release of beta-endorphins (these are morphine like substances produced by various cells in the body that inhibit the sensation of pain)
• Cortisol production is increased (cortisol is the precursor of cortisone). This enables the body to combat the stress associated with 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 OR CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF LOW INTENSITY LASER THERAPY

• ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production is increased resulting in improved cellular metabolism
• DNA (desoxyribosenucleicacid) production, the protein building block of tissue is substantially increased
• Neurotransmission is facilitated due to elevated levels of serotonin and aceytylecholine
• 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 (electroylyte 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.

Sunlight Spectrum Wavelengths

• Sunlight has many different colours.


LED Spectrum Wavelengths

• Light Emitting Diode.
• One colour and waves are not all in phase(non-coherent)
  
  LASER

• Light Amplification Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
  

  Laser therapy has been proven effective in reducing both acute and chronic pain. Laser therapy has been used for a variety of health issues with great success.

  Clinical Conditions Responsive to Laser Therapy:

  • Chronic and Acute pain Wound Healing Migraines
  • Tendonitis problems Non-Union Fractures Scar tissue
  • Tennis/Golfers elbow Musculoskeletal pain Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Joint Sprains Diabetic Neuropathy TMJ- Dysfunction
  • Post-surgical/ Suture Sites Sports Injuries Rheumatoid/ Osteoarthritis
  • Burn / Abrasion Sites
    • The effects of laser acupuncture on chronic tension headache
    • Is low level laser therapy an effective adjuvant intervention for chronic low back pain?
    • Ultrasound and laser therapy in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome
    • A controlled trial of low level laser therapy for activated Achilles tendinitis
    • Effectiveness of muscle stretching exercises with and without laser therapy at tender points for patients with fibromyalgia.
    • The effect of gallium arsenide aluminum laser therapy in the management of cervical myofascial pain syndrome.
    • Low-intensity laser therapy for painful symptoms of diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy
    • Effect of low level helium-neon (He-Ne) laser therapy in the prevention & treatment of radiation induced mucositis in head & neck cancer patients.
    • Patients with moderate chemotherapy-induced mucositis: pain therapy using low intensity lasers.
    • Low-level laser treatment can reduce edema in second degree ankle sprains.
    • Investigation of the supplementary effect of GaAs laser therapy on the rehabilitation of human digital flexor tendons.
    • Low intensity laser therapy in the treatment of temporomandibular disorders: a double-blind study.
    • Low level laser therapy in primary Raynaud’s phenomenon–results of a placebo controlled, double blind intervention study.
    • Low-level laser therapy in management of postmastectomy lymphedema.
    • Randomized controlled trial on low level laser therapy (LLLT) in the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) of the hand.
    • Efficacy of 904 nm gallium arsenide low level laser therapy in the management of chronic myofascial pain in the neck: a double-blind and randomize-controlled trial.
    • Double-blind randomized controlled trial of low-level laser therapy in carpal tunnel syndrome.
    • The effect of 300 mW, 830 nm laser on chronic neck pain: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study.
    • Effects of low-level laser and plyometric exercises in the treatment of lateral epicondylitis.
    • Effects of 904-nm low-level laser therapy in the management of lateral epicondylitis: a randomized controlled trial.
    • Laser therapy in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.
    • Laser acupuncture in knee osteoarthritis: a double-blind, randomized controlled study.
    • Low-power laser treatment for shoulder pain.
    • The efficacy of low-power lasers in tissue repair and pain control: a meta-analysis study.
    • Investigation of the effect of GaAs laser therapy on cervical myofascial pain syndrome.
    • A phase III randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial to determine the efficacy of low level laser therapy for the prevention of oral mucositis in patients undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation.
    • Effect of low level laser therapy in rheumatoid arthritis patients with carpal tunnel syndrome.
    • Low power laser treatment in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
    • Adjuvant laser acupuncture in the treatment of whiplash injuries: a prospective, randomized placebo-controlled trial.

  The following links take you to abstracts discussing laser – many positive, some negative.