The Amazing Healing Power of Laser Therapy

The prevalence of pain in the United States is eye-opening — more than 20% of the population struggles with chronic pain, and 8% report high-impact pain. While pain can develop for many reasons, musculoskeletal issues certainly lead the charge.

At Johnson Medical Center, our chiropractor Dr. Jeffrey Johnson and our multidisciplinary team offer a wide range of services that are designed to help our patients overcome painful conditions of all kinds, from chronic lower back pain to sports injuries. Through the use of the most advanced technologies available, including laser therapy, we can get you back on your feet and moving without pain again.

Here’s a look at how laser therapy works.

Controlling the power of the laser

The use of lasers in medical circles isn’t new, but thanks to advancements in the technology, as well as ongoing research, we’re refining how we use laser technology for better effect.

As an example, when it comes to healing soft-tissue injuries, we turn to cold laser therapy, which is also called low-level laser therapy. Laser therapy, in general, directs energy into your tissue to cause a response, and we can control the response by controlling the energy.

With cold laser therapy, we deliver low levels of light energy into your tissue, where the energy is absorbed by your cells. This light absorption initiates reactions within your cells (much like photosynthesis in a plant) that can lead to:

• Reduced inflammation and swelling
• Less pain
• Accelerated healing

This “softer” approach is designed to gently work with your tissues to move healing along. And if you’re wondering how it feels, the procedure doesn’t hurt a bit. 

When cold laser therapy is called for

Since cold laser therapy is noninvasive and painless, we can safely apply the technology to a host of musculoskeletal problems, including:

• Tendon or ligament tears
• Overuse injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome or tennis elbow
• Arthritis 
• Muscle strains or spasms
• Neuropathic pain

This approach has worked extremely well for our patients who struggle with ongoing issues like lower back pain or neck pain, as well as patients who have acute injuries, such as a torn rotator cuff.

Getting started with laser therapy

In many cases, we use cold laser therapy as part of a larger treatment plan that may include chiropractic care, regenerative medicine, and physical therapy. Most of our patients benefit from a series of cold laser treatments, and the treatment sessions themselves are quick and easy with no downtime afterward.

As you progress through your cold laser treatments, you should realize gradual results as your swelling and pain go down and the healing begins in earnest.

If you’d like to explore the many benefits of cold laser therapy further, please call our office in Venice, Florida, to set up an appointment. Or you can click the “request an appointment” button while you’re here on the website.