Laser Therapy

The use of low, medium and high power lasers in the treatment of disorders of the neuromuscular skeletal system has recently received much attention, first of all it should be noted that the laser is not a device but a phenomenon.

What is laser therapy?

The term laser stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation and means increasing the intensity of light caused by the emission of radiation.
The range and frequency of laser applications is primarily the scanning range. its wavelength; Due to the features and properties of the laser beam and its adjustable output power.
The laser beam will have unique properties that cannot be seen in any other light source
The wide range and frequency of laser applications is mainly due to the scanning range, its wavelength, the properties and characteristics of the laser beam and its adjustable output power. Since each of the active materials used in lasers are capable of producing one or more specific wavelengths, each of them may have a specific medical application.
In most cases of treatment using this type of laser, the patient did not need surgery.
Laser therapy should be done regularly or as recommended by the physiotherapist. .
The advantages of laser therapy include halving the treatment time, improving the efficiency of organs, and reducing the impact of clinical symptoms.

Laser therapy is used according to the wavelength and power of light in the following types:

1. Low power laser or cold laser, usually less than 500 mW, sometimes up to 1000 mW
2. A medium power laser that typically has an output power of 1000 to 5000 mW.
3. High-intensity lasers are distributed with a power of more than 5000 mW.

What does laser therapy do?

Its known effects include the formation of proteins and enzymes that form nucleic acids, as well as the intensity of mitochondrial metabolism. Regeneration or proliferation of cells can be observed after destruction and growth of a damaged nerve axon, for example, by sprouting with laser therapy. Other effects of laser can be mentioned stimulating immune responses, reducing pain and accelerating wound healing and accelerating nerve regeneration.

Biological effects

In general, it restores damaged and ineffective tissues.

• Anti-inflammatory effect: laser light slows down the arterial blood and also stimulates the lymphatic system to become more active, which leads to swelling and thus pain reduction.
• Analgesic (analgesic effect): The effect of laser on nerve cells prevents the transmission of pain messages to the brain and reduces nerve sensitivity. It also stimulates the body’s natural pain relief mechanism, which is the release of large amounts of endorphins and enkephalins from the brain and adrenal glands.
• Accelerates tissue regeneration and cell growth: High-energy laser therapy accelerates cell proliferation and growth through deep tissue penetration. When the cells of tendons, ligaments and muscles are exposed to laser light, they multiply and regenerate faster.
• Recovery of body function: reduction of body function in damaged tissues can lead to numbness or weakness of various organs. The laser accelerates the process of neural coordination and increases the range of maximum performance to improve muscle function.
• Improved vascular activity: High-intensity laser therapy creates new capillaries in damaged tissue, accelerates the healing process, closes wounds faster, and reduces scar tissue.
• Reduces the formation of fibrous tissue: Powerful laser therapy reduces the formation of scar tissue caused by cuts, scrapes, burns or surgery.
• Faster Wound Healing: High power laser treatment stimulates the production of fibroblasts (collagen forming units necessary for wound healing).

High power laser is used for both chronic and acute complications. Recent research also shows the effective effect of high power lasers in pain conditions such as fibromyalgia, migraine, vertigo, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Problems and consequences of laser therapy

The powerful laser is painless, safe and without side effects. During the treatment, the patient may feel a little warm and in most cases will experience a deep relaxation. High power laser treatment is not recommended during pregnancy, malignant skin tumors or the use of drugs that cause photosensitivity. As the laser penetrates the skin, an increase in local temperature is observed in the skin. Do not use topical lotion or ointment during laser treatment. Eye protection glasses are required during high power laser treatment.

Application of laser therapy:

1. Anti-inflammatory effect
2. Complications of anesthesia
3. Anti-inflammatory effect

These effects are mostly used in the treatment of neuromuscular disorders.
Among these diseases, the following can be mentioned:

• Radiculopathies or inflammation of the nerve roots of the neck and back due to disc, arthritis
• Healing all types of wounds (diabetic wounds, bedsores)
• Pain caused by tendon inflammation
• Joint pains such as arthritis
• Rheumatic pains such as rheumatoid arthritis
• Pains caused by trauma and after surgery
• Pain due to nerve entrapment such as carpal tunnel syndrome (in mild and moderate cases)
• Treatment of sports injuries
• In the regeneration and stimulation of peripheral nerve growth, for example, pink nerve palsy or peripheral nerve damage
• Treatment of pain caused by peripheral neuropathies such as diabetic neuropathy
• Muscle pains such as myofascial syndrome (painful trigger points)

Contraindications to the use of laser in physiotherapy

It is recommended to avoid using laser therapy in the following patients.

• Pregnant women should not use laser on the abdomen, waist and hips.
• It is forbidden to use laser in patients with cancer and malignancy in the tumor area.
• Patients with high heart rates should not use the laser on their chest.
• Patients sensitive to light
• Areas near the eyes, especially with high power lasers
• Growing children (on bony plates)
• Patients with seizures or epilepsy

 

Sixteen cases for the use of lasers in physical therapy

1. Soft tissue damage:

• Things like ligament and tendon stretching (Sprain & Strain)
• Tendinitis
• Muscle Tear
• Tennis Elbow
• CTS
• Trigger Points
• Periarthritis of the shoulder joint
• Discopathies

2. Heel spur:

Patients with heel spurs need longer laser treatment. These patients may have more inflammation. 4 weeks of laser therapy are needed to treat heel spurs.

3. Degenerative diseases:

Arthritis of the joints, rheumatoid arthritis, chondromalacia of the patella, back pain, coccyx pain, ankylosing spondylitis, synovium inflammation

4. Neuralgia and vascular diseases:

Sciatica pain, diabetic neuropathy, trigeminal neuralgia

5. Traumas:

Pain from various sports injuries, previous fractures and fracture repair, such as sprains or tears of tendons, ligaments and muscles. Laser accelerates fracture healing by increasing hematoma absorption, bone regeneration, blood vessel formation, calcium deposition, as well as the activity of macrophages, fibroblasts, and cartilage cells.

6. Treatment of carpal tunnel pain with laser:

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common condition and its symptoms include swelling, tingling, pain and discomfort in the wrists and fingers at night. Many patients who visit the Mahan Physiotherapy Clinic have already had other medical procedures. New research suggests that the neurological changes caused by carpal tunnel syndrome may be more widespread than previously thought. Therefore, it is better to use laser therapy from neck to wrist to treat pain caused by carpal tunnel syndrome. Most laser patients who complete the treatment have a significant or complete recovery.

7. Treatment of neck pain with laser:

Neck pain has many causes, such as back pain and other parts of the spine in the lower back. Causes of neck pain may include the following:

• spinal canal stenosis
• Disc protrusion
• Facet arthropathy (facet joints are located in the vertebrae)
• Other degenerative diseases of neck arthrosis
• Another cause of neck pain is myofascial pain syndrome. This disease has nothing to do with the spine and its origin is from the muscles and other connective tissues of the neck and spine. This disease is also treated with Balizer.

8. Back pain treatment with laser:

A number of diseases causing back pain (in addition to painful neck and back diseases) can be effectively treated with laser. These diseases include:

• Spinal stenosis
• Disc disease
• Arthritis pain (osteoarthritis): Arthritis is a disease of joint cartilage destruction.

Many patients referring to Mahan Physiotherapy Clinic have already been treated with other methods, but they are not satisfied with the results of their previous treatments. Many of these patients have tried all kinds of drugs and injections. Back pain treatment with laser in most cases causes pain relief. Although some patients feel better in the first one to two weeks of laser treatment, the complete treatment of back pain requires about 6 weeks of laser treatment.

9. Hip pain treatment with laser:

Pelvic diseases treated with laser include diseases such as arthritis or inflammation of the pelvic joints, bursitis (inflammation of small fluid-filled sacs in the joint), and some patients have both arthritis and bursitis of the pelvic joints. Some patients consider joint replacement as the only solution for treating hip pain.
In most cases, many patients with hip pain feel better after the first laser treatment session. A large number of patients also find significant improvement after three to four weeks of laser treatment.
Trochanteric bursitis (the trochanter is located in one of the ridges above the femur) in the hip area is also treated with laser. Some patients with bursitis (a bursa is a small bag filled with fluid in the joint area and its inflammation is called bursitis) feel better after a short period of laser treatment, and some need a longer period of laser treatment. All in all, the response of these patients to laser is adequate.

10. Treatment of knee pain with laser:

Most patients who refer to physiotherapy suffer from osteoarthritis. Arthrosis is a disease of joint destruction. These patients cause many problems for patients. Many patients have had multiple corticosteroid injections to treat knee pain. Many arthrosis and knee pain patients have a history of long-term use of painkillers. Some have also received physiotherapy treatments. Also, there are patients who consider knee joint replacement as the only way to cure their disease.
A large percentage of patients treated with laser for osteoarthritis of the knee find significant improvement. The highest percentage of recovery is observed after one month of treatment. Some patients need one treatment session per week for several weeks. Most arthrosis patients are satisfied with laser treatment.

11. Migraine headache treatment with laser:

A migraine is a headache that can be severe and debilitating. Migraine headaches are often accompanied by symptoms such as throbbing headaches, nausea, and sensitivity to sound and light. Migraine treatment may be difficult for some people and may not respond easily to different treatments.
Migraine treatment with laser can bring improvement in many patients. Migraine patients are divided into the following categories:

• Those that respond well to the laser.
• Those who recover moderately.
• The third category of people who have little response.

The duration of laser migraine treatment is different for each patient. One of the best predictors of response to treatment is improvement in headache within a week to 10 days after starting treatment. Patients who feel that their headaches are better after a week of laser treatment are likely to experience significant improvement.

12. Treatment of heel pain and heel spurs with laser:

Plantar fasciitis (inflammatory heel pain) causes a painful condition in the heel. And with the first steps at the beginning of the day, its pain is felt. In many cases, heel pain is accompanied by heel spurs, which has a longer treatment and is one of the good laser options.

13. Treatment of nerve pain after shingles with laser:

Nerve pain after shingles or post-herpetic neuralgia pain is an extremely painful disease that affects 20% of shingles patients. Shingles is caused by the herpes zoster virus (or chicken pox). It is caused by damage to the nerve endings in the skin and soft tissues during shingles. This pain can continue even months and years after the shingles has healed.
The treatment of neuralgia after herpes is not easily possible, and currently, with the use of laser treatment, about 50% of patients recover well. In general, in patients who do not feel improvement after 7 to 10 days of laser treatment, there is a small possibility that laser is effective for their pain. .
Patients with herpes on the face are also treated with laser. And in many neuralgia patients, favorable recovery is observed with laser treatment.

14. Treatment of shoulder pain with laser

Various diseases that are treated with laser for shoulder problems include:

• Arthritis or inflammation of shoulder joints.
• Damage to the shoulder rotator cuff: Rotator cuff refers to the tissues around the shoulder joint, including the muscles and tendons that support the shoulder and connect the arm to the shoulder joint.
• Shoulder inflammation and bursitis: Bursitis is an inflammatory disease of the bursae, which are small fluid-filled sacs in the joint.

Many patients with shoulder discomfort and pain who refer to Mahan Physiotherapy have several diseases at the same time. Patients have various symptoms. Some have pain and stiffness in a limited area of the shoulder, while others have burning pain in the entire shoulder joint. Shoulder movements are limited in many patients. A large number of patients report a partial recovery from shoulder pain and problems after one or two laser treatment sessions. It is important to follow the physiotherapist’s recommendations and limit activity during the treatment. Recovery from rotator cuff disease and frozen shoulder (a type of movement disorder and pain in the shoulder) may take longer, up to 6 weeks.

15. Treatment of complex regional pain syndrome

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) causes an extremely painful condition in the hands and feet. In addition to affecting the pain system, this disease affects other body systems such as temperature, blood flow, and even the skin of the organs. The area becomes so sensitive that even a gentle touch and a little cold causes pain and discomfort. RSD often develops after a minor injury. Laser treatment is effective on this disease and the patient feels the effect of laser after one or two treatment sessions. Complete laser treatment takes three weeks.

16. Sciatica pain treatment with laser

Laser treatment for sciatica produces acceptable results. This painful disease usually causes pain in one of the lower limbs. Sciatica mostly causes pain in the buttock region, which spreads to the lower and thighs. Sciatica is caused by pressure on the nerve roots of the lumbar spine (L3, L4, L5 to S1-3) or pressure on the nerve in the pelvis. If sciatica is not treated, it may cause more severe pain and even spread to the lower legs and heels. A large percentage of patients who have been treated with lasers have reported a favorable recovery. Complete recovery has been reported in many patients. Five to six weeks of laser treatment is required for the basic treatment of sciatica pain.

Mahan Physiotherapy Institute laser therapy

I hope you will never suffer from these pains, but if you do, at Mahan Clinic, all pains that are treated with laser therapy will be performed by skilled and experienced physiotherapists. Thank you in advance for your trust.