Atlantic Chiropractic Cold Laser Therapy

Atlantic Chiropractic is proud to be the first and only Chiropractor in the Morehead City Emerald Isle area to offer state of the art Cold Laser Therapy utilizing Multi Radiance Medical’s Laser Shower and M4 Super Pulsed LaserStim treatments. Multiradiance laser technology has proven success rates similar to traditional treatment methods (including surgery!) without the risk, complications, and lengthy recovery time! The Laser shower covers 5x the surface area of the skin than any other laser on the market. The M4 Super Pulsed laser is the only laser on the market that can detect and treat muscle spasms and trigger points. The Laser shower can be placed on one area of pain while Super Pulsed LaserStim treatments are occurring on another. Research has been ongoing on Laser Therapy for over 60 yrs with over 6000 papers published on Laser Therapy.

What Does the Cold Laser Do?

Multiradiance Laser Technology is used in the NFL, NHL, MLB, and Division 1 College Athletic Programs. Cold Laser therapy has been adopted an an essential pain management tool by most major league aports franchises in the United States as well as by many Olympic teams. Trainers of these elite athletes claim that elite athletes make comebacks faster after being injured when Cold Laser Therapy is part of their treatment plan. Major league pitchers use Cold Laser Therapy as part of their normal warm-up routine. Cold laser therapy can help the weekend warrior, high school athlete, or those who want to keep up with their kids or grandkids without pain. This laser can help any level of athlete heel faster and with a more positive outcome.

How does it work?

Multi Radiance’s technology delivers billionths-of-a-second pulses. These pulses combined with up to 50,000 mW of peak power for an ultra-high concentration of light energy, called photons, are delivered deep into the targeted tissue without any risk of overheating. This is why this type of laser is also known as “cold laser” therapy, it will not burn the tissue.

Super pulsing of the laser allows for deeper penetration than a laser of the same wavelength that is not super pulsed but of the same power. Deeper penetration occurs with a pulsed laser because short pulses are absorbed much quicker. This time between pulses promotes a better environment for optimal pain relief.

Studies by the LSU Health Sciences Center and Tiziano Marovino, PT, DPT, MSc, BA, BHSc, BRLS, Dip.PT, FAAPM show that as the laser penetrates it provides powerful stimulating influences upon blood microcirculation called vasodilation. Vasodilation is when the smaller arteries and lymph vessels of the body dilate, therefore increasing in size. Vasodilation allows inflammation, swelling, and edema to be cleared away from injury sites more effectively. When vasodilation occurs in lymph nodes it promotes lymphatic drainage, which aids in the healing process. The light also interacts with light sensitive organelles within cells. You can compare this to photosynthesis in plants, sunlight is absorbed and then converted to usable energy the plant uses to grow. When your cells absorb the light energy from the laser it initiates a series of events within the cell which is theorizes to eventually result in normalizing damaged or injured tissues, a reduction in pain, inflammation, edema, which leads to an overall reduction in healing time by increased intracellular metabolism.(footnote 1. 2.)

TARGET (Treatment Area Recognition and Guidance Enhanced Technology)

Technology found on the M4 Super Pulsed LaserStim is the first and only FDA-cleared device to use electric stimulation and laser in a single device. It is able to target areas of spasm both superficial and deep by constantly measuring the electroconductivity of the tissue. This helps to assist in identifying the optimal treatment location.

How long do treatments take and How many will I need?

Laser treatments may last 5 to 30 minutes depending on what the problem is and the size of the area needing to be treated. Laser therapy usually requires more than one treatment for optimal pain relief, the benefits of treatment are cumulative. Beneficial results are often noticed after only 3-5 treatments. Some patients report improvement beginning after only 1 session. Spine-Health.com reports that it can take anywhere from 8-30 sessions for the treatment to be fully effective. Because of the cumulative effect of laser therapy some patients receive 2- 4 laser therapy sessions per week. The total number of treatments needed depends on the condition being treated, the severity of the condition and the individual response of the patient.

Is Laser Therapy Painful?

No. Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) is also known as Cold Laser Therapy. The FDA approved LLLT in 2002. High powered lasers are used in the medical field to cut or destroy tissue. Cold laser uses light energy to penetrate the skin to stimulate and enhance cell function and accelerate the healing process. Laser therapy is non-invasive, it does not break the skin or cause burns. Most people do not feel anything, while some have reported a slight tingling or warming sensation over the area being treated.

What conditions can Laser Therapy treat?

Laser Therapy can treat both chronic and acute pain from old or new injuries and conditions.

• • Pain from Arthritis: Laser therapy is a drug-free solution to help you manage your arthritis pain.
  • Shoulder pain
  • Neck pain and stiffness
  • Muscle spasms
  • Wrist and elbow pain
  • Foot and ankle pain
  • Tight calf muscles
  • Sprains and Strains
  • Back pain and stiffness
  • Joint Pain
  • Sports Injuries
  • Tennis Elbow Pain
  • Disc Herniation Pain
  • Achilles Tendonitis Pain
  • Plantar Fasciitis Pain
  • Carpal Tunnel Pain
  • Rotator Cuff Pain
  • Knee Pain
  • Tendonitis
  • Sciatica
  • Trigger Points

Please contact Atlantic Chiropractic to schedule an appointment to see if laser therapy is right for you.

References:
1. Martin R. Laser-Accelerated Inflammation/Pain Reduction and Healing. Practical Pain Management. Nov/Dec 2003 3(6):20-25.
2. Marovino T. Cold Lasers in Pain Management. Practical Pain Management. Sep/Oct 2004. 4(6):37-42.