Cold Laser
The Foundation for Integrated Health was the first
clinic in BC to obtain the Erchonia cold
laser technology in August 2001. Back then, no one had heard of the
"healing light” of cold laser, and the technology was relatively unknown. Just
in the last year, more clinics and practitioners understand the benefits of the
cold laser in their practices - just
as sports personalities Lance Armstrong and Tiger Woods have been experiencing
the benefits for many years in sport injury recovery and wound healing.
The exact mechanism of action of cold
laser is not completely understood; however, there are several theories
based on cellular research conducted over the last two decades or more. The
basic premise is that cold laser
stimulates cell activation processes which, in turn, intensify the physiology
of the cell. Healing is essentially a cellular process and light energy
initiates a cascade of reactions, from the cell membrane to the cytoplasm, to
the nucleus and DNA. This is called cellular amplification; a phenomenon whose
demonstration earned the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1994.
There are many biological processes that take place in tissues that have
been shown to respond to LLLT in the 630-640 nanometer wavelength range. One of these processes is the enhancement
of ATP production in the mitochondria, which provides more energy substrate for
cellular healing and tissue recovery post injury. This wavelength has also been shown to decrease inflammation in
wounds and increase endorphin release which decreases pain.
When one considers that wounds have varying degrees of cellular and
vascular damage, the wound site can be in a potentially oxygen starved state.
Cells deprived of oxygen or blood supply have a potential to increase lactic
acid and therefore increase local cellular damage. Normal healing requires
certain mediators to be released at the wound site. These cell mediators call
inflammatory cells to the wound which clean up damaged tissues, fight bacteria,
and stimulate specialized cells to grow to try to heal the zone of injury. The
physiologic concept is that cold laser
improves cellular metabolism and accelerates the process of healing to a more
rapid and efficient state.
A key issue to understand is that cold
laser as a category, covers a broad range of wavelengths.
Individual wavelengths have
individual physiologic results. The 635 nm wavelength
is the monochromatic output that has been shown to be the best wavelength for improving cellular metabolism and therefore,
improving wound healing.
Another important property of an effective laser is that it be a true
laser, which, by definition, produces the emission of coherent light, generated
at a precise, stable frequency, in a focused direction. Products that use Light
Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are not true lasers. They produce non-coherent or random
light, generating random frequencies. Coherent light energy is critical when
treating the human body.
One more consideration is the optimum power necessary for
bio-stimulation. The Arndt-Schulz Law of photo-biological activity, essentially
states that “less is more” when it comes to energy for improved cellular
physiology. The Erchonia cold laser
provides the best wavelength (635
nm) for cellular physiology at very low energy (2-5 mill Watts)
to stimulate cells to function better. If the stimulation is too intense, there
may actually be an inhibitory effect, or possibly degeneration or destruction
of cells.
The Foundation for Integrated Health is only the
second clinic in Canada
to be licensed to carry a violet 405nm cold
laser. The violet laser works differently than the red 635nm laser. It helps the body fight off infection at a
deeper level and has been shown to help even difficult skin infections. It stimulates the sympathetic nervous system
and seems to bring up deeper levels of problems, even stimulating emotional
responses to healing. This laser is very
useful for patients with chronic long-standing conditions as it seems to find
and heal issues on a deeper level. |
The
Erchonia cold laser device has gained
recent FDA approval for the non-surgical treatment of neck and shoulder
complaints and is being used widely in the NFL and many other sports teams and
therapists. Lance Armstrong and Tiger
Woods, two giants in their sports are treated regularly by their chiropractor
who utilizes this laser to enhance healing and recovery. The beneficial effects
of the Erchonia laser are currently being researched by leading plastic
surgeons for use in liposuction procedures. |  |
Laser therapy may be useful to you if you have any of the
following:
- tendonitis
- frozen shoulder
- fractures
- post-operative
wounds
- sprain-strains
- scar tissue
- autoimmune
diseases
- chronic or acute pain
- wound healing
- arthritis
- migraines
- disc
herniations/bulges
- minor nerve damage
- carpal tunnel
syndrome
The laser can be used to stimulate the nervous
system as it exits the spine, thus increasing nerve transmission. If done
frequently enough, researchers have found that nerve regeneration is possible.
We use it to restore inhibited nerve pathways that have not been able to return
to 100% function after an injury. A simple muscle strength
test can demonstrate this easily – we can check the strength
of a muscle, find it weak and restore the function after a short period of
laser tuned to a nerve frequency.
Learning disabilities, ADD, ADHD and Autism are all conditions where
there are problems within the brain and its connections. Using the laser and other techniques,
improvements in learning and behaviour have been seen. The laser can be used to
stimulate brain function as well. Dizziness,
vertigo and balance issues can be tested for neurologically and corrected using
the laser and its specific frequencies.
Muscles are set to work through a specific range of
motion which is unique to every individual.
Through lack of motion, exercise or through injury, muscles work through
a shortened range of motion, causing stiffness and pain and a lack of
resiliency. The laser can resent a
muscle’s resting length as well as
reduce scar tissue or adhesions in the muscle.
Laser specific frequencies can be directed down the muscle while other
techniques – stretching, Trigenics Neuromuscular Therapy, or scar tissue
adhesion release – are performed, enhancing and shortening the treatment time.
Stress, overwork, improper diet and the environment
can all contribute to a toxic overload in the body which reduces the body’s
ability to maintain a healthy immune system.
The immune system is the body’s defense against viruses, bacteria,
molds, fungus and other opportunistic infections which would like to set up a
“home” in your body. The laser can help
detoxification protocols work faster and on a deeper cellular level.
There are over 1500
published studies and not one of them mentions any negative side effects of
semi-conductor diode lasers at the 5mW range like the Erchonia lasers. Cold
lasers are safe, non-toxic and non-invasive - there have not been any recorded
side effects in over 1500 publications. There are some necessary common sense
precautions that need to be considered, such as avoiding pointing the laser
beam directly into the eye and maintaining it there, which could prove to be
damaging to the eye.
To learn more about Cold
Laser Therapy and its many uses:
www.erchonia.com
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