Laser Therapy, also known as Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT), is increasingly being adopted by the medical community as a mainstream form of treatment, especially when it comes to pain management and relief.[1] It also holds immense potential when it’s used as an adjunct to chiropractic care. In this article, we discuss the practical applications of Laser Therapy including how it can truly augment chiropractic treatment for patients.
As both chiropractic treatment and lasers utilize a non-pharmacological, non-invasive way to heal pain and relax muscles, a combination of these two modalities seems promising for patients looking for a way of healing without undergoing surgery or taking medication.
How Does Laser Therapy Work?
In Laser Therapy, a laser beam is directly applied on or over the skin, which penetrates the tissues and activates chromophores to initiate photochemical reactions on the cellular level. This results in accelerated healing, increased blood circulation, and enhanced ATP production.[2]
The stimulation of chromophores using light or the process of photobiomodulation produces positive therapeutic outcomes such as localized tissue regeneration, wound healing, reduced inflammation, muscle relaxation and vasodilation.[3] A treatment plan where chiropractic care and Laser Therapy are used in conjunction can boost the efficacy of chiropractic treatment.[4]
What Does A Chiropractor Do?
Chiropractic treatment involves adjustments, such as realignment of the spine or other joints, which helps alleviate pain and increase mobility. A trip to the Chiropractor might also offer muscle relaxation by releasing tension around muscles and relieving spasms.
Laser Therapy And Chiropractic Care
There are more than 4,000 studies on PubMed on the efficacy of Laser Therapy in treating musculoskeletal pain. PubMed is the largest online resource that enables access to biomedical and life science literature. It is supported by NCBI, (National Center for Biotechnology Information) and National Institute of Health (NIH). When used with chiropractic adjustments, a laser could be fruitful in presenting practical solutions for those suffering from pain or other musculoskeletal conditions.[5]
Reduced Pain And Improved Mobility
Laser Therapy is proven to have analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and vasodilatory effects.[6] [7] All of these contribute to pain management and relief, allowing increased mobility too. A Chiropractor would realign a patient’s spine and manipulate aching joints. After this, Laser Therapy can contribute to the healing process by penetrating the tissues. It could also stimulate cell repair in the deeper tissues to help eliminate pain and restore mobility.[8]
Musculoskeletal Back Pain
Laser Therapy, when used with structural balancing and exercises, can be truly beneficial in managing back pain and can achieve long-term results.[9] A study was done on two groups of elderly people that suffered from chronic low back pain. 71% of the people in the group who received Laser Therapy showed lesser pain while the pain completely disappeared in 45% of the people.[10] No side effects were reported. In another study, 81.6% of the participants with low back pain reported positive results without any side effects.[11] Thus, lasers can truly optimize chiropractic treatments.
Soft-Tissue Therapy
Clinical studies suggest that lasers can induce an accelerated recovery in injured tissues.[12] Edema reduction and enhanced collagen production were also observed in animal models.[13] Laser stimulation was also found to speed up tendon regeneration.[14] When used with chiropractic exercises and adjustments, Laser Therapy can effectively help in relaxing muscles and relieving spasms.
As sometimes muscles can be sore or tender, lasers can also be used by a chiropractor before an adjustment to relax muscles and allow effective treatment. This would help prepare the patients before an adjustment is carried out, and might save them from unnecessary discomfort during the process.
Benefits Of Laser Therapy
Drug-Free Treatment: This non-pharmaceutical, non-invasive treatment can help patients avoid painkillers, like opioids, as they are addictive and carry the risks of physical dependence and overdose
FDA-Cleared Treatment Modality: The-FDA cleared clinical photobiomodulation using lasers in the early 2000s. [15]
Affordability: Laser Therapy is highly affordable as one device can be used to treat multiple conditions. Typically, healthcare providers purchase lasers. However, a number of lasers are available for sale to patients or consumers.
In the year 2022, the chiropractic industry saw a 2.5% increase in revenue and it is expected to see a steady rise in the coming years as more and more people are experiencing pathologies that lead them to a Chiropractor.[16] Chiropractic treatment can assist patients in building a specified rehabilitation exercise program, while Lasers get to the targeted tissue to stimulate cell regeneration.
Laser Therapy can truly enhance chiropractic care, as patients receive treatment via the best and the latest technology possible, which is backed by research and cleared by the FDA. It can make the treatment process fast, easy, and affordable. Patients can reap the benefits of this modality as it is a cheaper and safer alternative to other treatments such as surgery and medicine.
The combination of chiropractic care and LLLT can be great for patients who want to accelerate the healing process through biostimulation, without the risks of side effects and surgery. Check out Berman Partners’ collection of high-quality FDA-cleared lasers that can truly improve the efficacy of chiropractic treatment. The power and intensity of these devices can be customized to achieve the desired results. For more information, contact us or call us at 860-707-4220 and we will respond to your queries right away.
Citations
[1] Hamblin, M. R., & Huang, Y. (Eds.). (2013). Handbook of photomedicine. Taylor & Francis.
[2] Tuner, J. & Hode, L. (2004). The laser therapy handbook: A guide for research scientists, doctors, dentists, veterinarians and other interested parties within the medical field. Grangesberg: Prima Books.
[3] Fitz-Ritson D. Lasers and their therapeutic application in chiropractic. J Can Chiropr Assoc. 2001 Mar;45(1):26–34. PMCID: PMC2505005.
[4] Haussler KK, Manchon PT, Donnell JR, Frisbie DD. Effects of Low-Level Laser Therapy and Chiropractic Care on Back Pain in Quarter Horses. J Equine Vet Sci. 2020 Mar;86:102891. doi: 10.1016/j.jevs.2019.102891. Epub 2019 Dec 10. PMID: 32067657.
[5] Cios A, Cieplak M, Szymański Ł, Lewicka A, Cierniak S, Stankiewicz W, Mendrycka M, Lewicki S. Effect of Different Wavelengths of Laser Irradiation on the Skin Cells. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Feb 28;22(5):2437. doi: 10.3390/ijms22052437. PMID: 33670977; PMCID: PMC7957604.
[6] Sattayut S, Bradley P. A study of the influence of low intensity laser therapy on painful temporomandibular disorder patients. Laser Ther. 2012 Sep 30;21(3):183-92. doi: 10.5978/islsm.12-OR-09. Epub 2012 Aug 13. PMID: 24511188; PMCID: PMC3882354.
[7] Honmura A, Yanase M, Obata J, Haruki E. Therapeutic effect of Ga-Al-As diode laser irradiation on experimentally induced inflammation in rats. Lasers Surg Med. 1992;12(4):441-9. doi: 10.1002/lsm.1900120414. PMID: 1495372.
[8] Magri LV, Carvalho VA, Rodrigues FC, Bataglion C, Leite-Panissi CR. Effectiveness of low-level laser therapy on pain intensity, pressure pain threshold, and SF-MPQ indexes of women with myofascial pain. Lasers Med Sci. 2017 Feb;32(2):419-428. doi: 10.1007/s10103-016-2138-x. Epub 2017 Jan 4. PMID: 28054261.
[9] Nambi G, Kamal W, Es S, Joshi S, Trivedi P. Spinal manipulation plus laser therapy versus laser therapy alone in the treatment of chronic non-specific low back pain: a randomized controlled study. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2018 Dec;54(6):880-889. doi: 10.23736/S1973-9087.18.05005-0. Epub 2018 Apr 24. PMID: 29687966.
[10] Soriano in Rosario. GaAs is effective in chronic low back pain. Lasers Surg Med 1998; Suppl. 10, p. 61.
[11] Ohshiro T, Shirono Y. Retroactive study in 524 patients on the application of the 830 nm GaAlAs Diode laser in low reacrive-level laser therapy (LLLT) for lumbago. Laser Therapy 1992; 4:121–126.
[12] da Silva JP, da Silva MA, Almeida AP, Lombardi Junior I, Matos AP. Laser therapy in the tissue repair process: a literature review. Photomed Laser Surg. 2010 Feb;28(1):17-21. doi: 10.1089/pho.2008.2372. PMID: 19764898.
[13] Lievens P. The effects of I.R. laser irradiation on the vasomotoricity of the lymphatic system. Lasers in Medical Science 1991; 6:189–191.
[14] Abergel RP, Lyons RF, Castel JC, Dwyer RM, Uitto J. Biostimulation of wound healing by lasers: experimental approaches in animal models and in fibroblast cultures. J Dermatol Surg Oncol. 1987 Feb;13(2):127-33. doi: 10.1111/j.1524-4725.1987.tb00510.x. PMID: 3805475.
[15] Walter, K. (2019, July 17). FDA clears laser therapy for chronic musculoskeletal pain. HCPLive. Retrieved July 2, 2022, from https://www.hcplive.com/view/fda-clears-laser-therapy-for-chronic-musculoskeletal-pain
[16] Industry market research, reports, and statistics. (n.d.). IBISWorld – Industry Market Research, Reports, & Statistics. https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/market-research-reports/chiropractors-industry/
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