How Does Low Level Laser Therapy Provide Relief to Painful Sensitive Areas?
In one sentence Low Level Laser Therapy numbs the nerve fibers that convey pain, diminishes inflammation, and boost both the lymphatic and circulatory systems aiding recovery.
Traditionally, phototherapy has been a staple in medical treatments: blue light for jaundice and staph infections, ultraviolet light for psoriasis, and visible light for seasonal affective disorder. Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) further extends this legacy by addressing non-healing ulcers, lymphedema, and musculoskeletal pain, presenting a safer alternative to certain drugs like anti-inflammatories and pain relievers.
Did you know LLLT is also known as Photobiomodulation?
Photo = Light, Bio = Biology, Modulation = Change – Changing the biological cells of the body with light
LASER
stands for Light Amplification Stimulated Emission Radiation
It’s produced by exciting a medium, like a crystal, gas, or diode, with high-intensity electrical stimulation, leading to the generation of photons. The laser light is released as a coherent wavelength, allowing it to pass through the skin, which in turn imparts its distinct therapeutic properties.
The phrase ‘cold laser’ refers to low-level lasers that don’t emit heat, distinguishing it significantly from high-powered lasers used in surgeries, including laser eye procedures, which intentionally cause controlled tissue damage.
Cold lasers encompass a range, from visible to invisible types, which include infrared and helium-neon variations. Some emit continuous wavelengths, while others are pulsed. In physiotherapy, the common wavelengths span from 520nm to 905nm.
Each laser variant possesses unique therapeutic attributes influenced by its power, wavelength, and application method. Depending on the wavelength selected, lasers can either stimulate or inhibit tissue responses. Their therapeutic benefits are vast, from alleviating pain and inflammation to enhancing circulation, and lymphatic activity, and expediting the healing of skin and bone injuries.
For laser therapy to work effectively, it must be absorbed by tissues and cells. Our cell’s energy producers, the mitochondria, release biophotons โ light waves and particles akin to the therapeutic wavelengths of cold lasers.
These mitochondria take in light through chromophores on the cell membrane, making them the principal site for laser absorption. When illness or injury stresses the mitochondria, laser stimulation can boost their performance. Essentially, we’re using a similar light wavelength to treat a light-emitting cell, aiming to reestablish its regular function.
Laser Pain Relief
Laser provides an analgesic impact on the nerve fibres responsible for conveying pain. It particularly counteracts nerve signals triggered by detrimental stimuli, like heat, mechanical stress, or chemical irritants stemming from inflammation, acting right at the nerve’s pain receptors.
Clinical research has found that lasers can decelerate nerve conduction anywhere from 10 minutes to a full day, with the effects compounding as cells recover normal function. Laser treatment on trigger points has been observed to elevate pain-relief-associated neurotransmitters such as serotonin and ฮฒ-endorphins. These trigger points are hypersensitive spots in muscles, often causing pain at distant sites. The International Association for the Study of Pain’s 2017 Myofascial Pain fact sheet (IASP) validates laser therapy as an evidence-supported treatment for these painful points
โ โLaser therapy shows strong evidence of effectiveness for pain relief.โ
Reduce Inflammation
The pain-relieving benefits of LLLT also known as photobiomodulation are largely due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Both animal and human studies using LLLT have demonstrated a decrease in inflammatory indicators like PGEโ and substance P, which can heighten sensitivity in peripheral nerves. Additionally, LLLT promotes the healing process by increasing the presence of neutrophils and macrophages, essential agents for tissue repair. This final step is pivotal for ensuring sustained pain relief.
Optimizing the Lymphatic System
Our lymphatic system operates in tandem with our circulatory systems, playing an essential role in healing and reducing inflammation that can lead to pain and restricted movement. Obstructions in the lymphatic system, whether from muscle contractions or injury to the fragile lymphatic vessels, can result in pervasive body pain. Research highlights the effectiveness of the 905nm laser for treating arm lymphedema in breast cancer patients, showing reduced swelling that persists for weeks post-treatment.
Releasing Trigger Points
Laser therapy can release trigger points, which are hyper-reactive nerve endings within tense muscle regions, as well as treat nerve entrapments in soft tissues. Laser devices that combine multiple distinct PBM light wavelengths work well for treating arthritis, promoting wound healing, managing inflammatory conditions, and providing pain relief in both acute pain and chronic pain.