Inflammation is one of the top causes behind the chronic pain many U.S. citizens struggle with in their daily lives. Whether it be from injury, infection, or an overreaction by the immune system, finding non-invasive treatment methods could be of interest to medical professionals across a multitude of different practice areas.
In today’s blog post, we’ll dive into how low-level laser therapy (3LT®) could be a solution to inflammation problems and why you should consider investing in a 3LT® device for your practice.
What is Inflammation?
As physicians and practitioners know, inflammation is a natural immune response to injury or infection. The swelling is caused by a fluid containing extra white blood cells which can remove debris and other infection-causing bacteria. The process is meant to protect your body from re-injury.
When inflammation triggers and then later reduces, it is known as acute inflammation. When inflammation does not dissipate after healing is complete, it can lead to other serious health concerns.
Defined as inflammation lasting three months or more, chronic inflammation is behind much of the chronic pain that as many as 50 million U.S. adults experience in their daily lives.
In addition to the discomfort brought on by the swelling, the prolonged immune response also means an excess of white blood cells remains at the site of infection or injury. These white blood cells can throw off free radicals, which can damage healthy blood cells.
How Does Laser Treatment for Pain & Inflammation Work?
From minor injuries and post-surgery recovery to chronic inflammation and pain, there is no shortage of opportunities for laser therapy treatment for pain and inflammation. This treatment method is also known as phototherapy or photobiomodulation.
The science behind laser therapy hinges on providing energy to your cells, specifically the mitochondria. By providing your cells with energy from the laser light, the cells become more active. This takes advantage of the natural healing power of the human body. By simply enhancing the natural healing process, there are little to no side effects of laser light therapy. This, in addition to its non-invasive nature, makes laser therapy treatment a perfect tool to treat inflammation and pain.
The science behind laser therapy hinges on providing energy to your cells, specifically the mitochondria.
What Conditions Benefit the Most from Laser Treatment for Pain & Inflammation?
Post-Surgery Recovery
While laser therapy can be used in place of invasive surgeries, sometimes surgery is unavoidable. Laser treatment can be a useful tool in aiding the recovery process. Much of the recovery time for surgery is managing inflammation as it dissipates. The reason for surgery plus the surgery itself can aggravate the immune system.
Using laser therapy following surgery can speed up this process, allowing patients to restore their range of motion and reduce any pain they may feel following their operation.
Recovery from Injury
Outside of surgery, another short-term inflammation problem 3LT® can help with is reducing pain post-injury.
Similar to what was said above, keeping inflammation to a minimum can aid in the recovery process. In the case of physical therapists, building strength after injury (to prevent injury from reoccurring) is vital, but can be hindered if there is excess inflammation.
Back Pain
According to the National Institute of Health, roughly 80% of people will experience back pain at some point in their life. There are a variety of methods to treat back pain without surgery. However, 3LT® has shown to have some of the strongest, drug-free results. In addition to being non-invasive and drug-free, laser therapy treatment for pain and inflammation has also been shown to have long-lasting results. This is an ideal outcome for those with chronic back pain.
According to the National Institute of Health, roughly 80% of people will experience back pain at some point in their life.
Arthritis & Tendonitis
Arthritis and tendonitis are other common instances of inflammation. Affecting the joints and tendons respectively, arthritis and tendonitis can severely limit the range of motion and fine motor skills of those afflicted. Common treatments heavily rely on prescriptions or over-the-counter treatment in order to manage pain. For those interested in reducing their medicine intake or those who do not find relief in medications, laser therapy is a promising solution.
How Your Practice Can Leverage Laser Treatment for Pain & Inflammation
As we’ve shown, laser therapy can be an excellent treatment option for those experiencing pain and inflammation. However, these patients can only access this type of treatment if their doctors or physical therapist carries a laser therapy device at their practice. Here is a summary of some of the top benefits your practice can provide with a laser therapy device:
- Non-invasive treatment or post-trauma therapy
- No side effects, for those worried about drug treatments
- No pain, which can reduce patient anxiety
- Short treatment times, allowing you to see more patients
- Treats both acute and chronic conditions
- Flexible treatment depending on laser head type
Inflammation is a natural immune response to infection or injury. If left unchecked, inflammation can cause other serious health problems such as chronic pain. Laser light therapy offers a non-invasive, alternative treatment to drugs and surgery, and can be used to treat a wide variety of conditions. If you regularly treat patients struggling with chronic pain and inflammation such as those with chronic back pain, arthritis, or tendonitis among other conditions, then providing laser light therapy will greatly benefit them. As a practice, you can leverage laser light therapy as a treatment for pain and inflammation to better treat a greater number of patients.
Contact Erchonia today to learn more about how our low-level laser therapy treatment can transform your practice.
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