HOW DOES LASER THERAPY WORK?

Overview

• Photo-Chemical Action
• What do Chromophores do
• The Photochemical Process
• Acute Inflammation Reduction – How does Laser Therapy reduce inflammation?
• Analgesia – How does Laser Therapy reduce pain?

Patients often wonder, ‘does laser therapy really work?’ The answer is yes. Heat laser therapy is infused with photons that are minute ‘drops’ of light energy that emit from lasers in waves at specific wavelength and frequency. Photon energy is a proven technique used for accelerating the healing process because it quickly penetrates the skin. However, the effect of photons depends on the wavelength of the light that represents different colors. The number of oscillations per second equals to the frequency of each wavelength. Like, short waves have a higher frequency as compared to longer waves.

Laser energy is light and effective on the skin; it emits as a narrow, bright beam that can be pointed at the affected areas. The laser holds the heat intensity until it’s observed into the patient’s body. The laser light can be tuned according to wavelength and frequency, depending on the condition, to stimulate the healing process. Once the photons settle into the skin, the cells are activated, and the healing begins.

Alternatively, people opt for cold laser therapy too. There are various benefits of cold laser therapy. Cold lasers also help reduce inflammation, cure minor injuries, heals wounds, rejuvenates skin, etc.

Photo-Chemical Action

Research shows that the tissues under the skin are irritated by laser work. When the laser therapy machine beams hit the skin, the cells absorb the energy to start the healing process. The Berman Medical Lasers have two types of laser lights – Visible (red) light and Near Infrared (NIR) that are absorbed into the mitochondria and the cell membrane. After the laser light is absorbed, the ATP levels boost DNA production that facilitates the healing process. Laser therapy has proven to reduce pain and inflammation, and it promotes nerve regeneration, relaxes the muscles, and improves the immune system.

People often have questions about the side effects of laser therapy; however, laser therapy doesn’t have any adverse impact on the tissues. The photons from the light beams and immediately absorbed. Although, it’s best to do a patch test to be sure you’re not allergic.

What Do Chromophores Do?

Chromophores are components present within cells and subcellular organelles; their function is to absorb light during a laser treatment. When chromophores are stimulated with laser light heat, they trigger the regeneration of ATP. The ATP production helps in:

• It increases the energy levels of cellular bodies
• It gets rid of pain and soreness
• It activates and boosts cellular healing

The Photochemical Process

The photo-chemical process starts with the release of photon components via laser light. The components are absorbed into the skin and then the cell membrane. The absorption creates singlet oxygen that changes the membrane permeability. The permeability produces ATP synthesized and new DNA. Next, cell metabolism is increased from a slower rate to a higher rate. The selective bio-stimulatory laser therapy effects impaired and damaged cells.

Note: The laser therapy does not affect tissues and cells that are already working regularly.

Acute Inflammation Reduction – How does Laser Therapy reduce inflammation?

A common question asked by patients is, ‘how does laser therapy reduce inflammation?’

What You Can Expect from Light-Induced, Anti-Inflammatory Responses

1. It stabilizes the cellular membrane
2. It enhances the production of ATP and synthesis
3. It enables the stimulation of vasodilation
4. It boosts the leukocytic activity
5. Multiples the prostaglandin synthesis process
6. It decreases the production of interleukin 1
7. The lymphocyte response enhances significantly
8. Promotes the generation of angiogenesis
9. Temperature modulation
10. It normalizes and improves the superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels
11. It substantially decreases C-reactive protein and neopterin levels

Stabilizes the Cellular Membrane

• It has a positive effect on the Ca++, Na+, and K+ concentrations, proton gradient, and mitochondria membrane.
• The production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) helps with inflammation.
• Laser therapy boosts the Ca++ uptake in the mitochondria, thus reducing inflammation.

ATP Production and Synthesis

• The production of ATP and synthesis drastically contributes to cell repair, regeneration, and cellular functions.
• It regenerates Cytochrome c Oxidase which is a chromophore found on the mitochondria of cells. The chromophore plays a significant role in the increase of synthesis of ATP.

Stimulation of vasodilation

• Laser therapy vasodilates the stimulation by increasing the production of Histamine, Nitric Oxide (NO), and Serotonin levels. The production then reduces ischemia and improves perfusion.

Acceleration of Leukocytic Activity

• The boost in leukocytic activity results in the improvement of the removal of non-viable cellular and tissue components.
• Leukocytic activity promotes rapid repair and faster regeneration of cells and tissues.

Increases Levels of Prostaglandin Synthesis

• The production of prostaglandin synthesis promotes inflammation reduction.

Reduces Interleukin 1

• Lasers have a long-lasting effect on pro-inflammatory cytokine that removes arthritis and other inflammatory conditions.

Enhanced Lymphocyte Response

• Laser therapy increases the production of lymphocytes and facilitates the action of lymphatic helper T-cells and suppressor T-cells. The two kinds of cells reduce inflammation faster.

Increased Angiogenesis

• The increase of angiogenesis is significant for the increase and regeneration of blood capillaries and lymphatic capillaries that help reduce inflammation.

Temperature Modulation

• The body parts that go through the inflammation reduction process have elevated temperatures.
• Laser therapy accelerates the temperature and normalizes it, which has a positive effect on the inflammatory process.

Enhanced Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) Levels

• Laser therapy is known for increasing superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels. The SOD levels boost the inflammatory process.

Decreased C-Reactive Protein and Neopterin Levels

• It decreases C-reactive protein and neopterin levels, which proves beneficial to rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Analgesia – How does Laser Therapy reduce pain?

Here is a rundown to understand how laser therapy reduces pain.

What You Can Expect from Light-Induced, Analgesic Responses

1. It increases the beta-endorphins
2. It improves the production of nitric oxide production
3. It reduces the bradykinin levels
4. Normalizes the function of the ion channel
5. Blocks the depolarization of C-fiber within nerves
6. It enhances the nerve cell action potentials
7. It increases the release of the process of nerve cell action potentials
8. It increases the release of acetylcholine
9. Activates the axonal sprouting and nerve cell regeneration

Increases the Beta Endorphins

• The analgesic process systematically increases the endogenous peptide. The process reduces the pain significantly.

Increases the Production of Nitric Oxide

• Nitric oxide has a direct and indirect effect on the sensation of pain. For curing the pain, the nerve cell action must function normally.
• Indirectly, the nitric oxide has a vasodilation effect that enhances cell perfusion and oxygenation.

Decreased Bradykinin Levels

• Laser therapy positively affects the body’s bradykinin levels. It reduces the impact of the bradykinin levels, which reduces the pain sensation in specific body parts.

Normalizes the function of the ion channel

• The process of photobiomodulation normalizes the Ca++, NA+, and K+ concentrations, which reduces pain due to the ion concentration shifts.

Block Depolarization of C-fiber in Nerves

• Therapeutic lasers block the pain in low-velocity neural pathways like the non-myelinated afferent axons from nociceptors.
• The laser irradiation blocks the interference of the fibers in the afferent sensory pathway.

Increased Nerve Cell Action Potentials

• Analgesic laser treatment helps in the generation of nerve cell action potentials. It makes sure that healthy nerve cells continue to operate at about -70 mV, and fire at about -20 mV. However, damaged cell membranes have a lower threshold because their resting potentials only go up to an average of -20 mV range.
• It reduces the production of normal non-noxious activities because they increase pain.
• Laser therapy has also proven to regenerate the action potential to a maximum of -70 mV range.
• Laser therapy normalizes the functions of nerve signal transmission in the autonomic, somatic, and sensory neural pathways. It is done by increasing acetylcholine.

Axonal Sprouting and Nerve Cell Regeneration

• Laser therapy can induce axonal sprouting and boosts the regeneration of damaged nerve tissues.
• It hits the areas that have the most damaged nerve structure: the cell generation and sprouting offered by laser therapy assists in reducing pain.

Doctor & Client Approved