L K Sethi, a 47-year-old Delhi businessman, was frustrated that his knee pain wasn’t going away even after six months of non-effective treatments. “I was referred to a laser therapist where he suggested a new treatment known as deep tissue laser therapy. While I was a bit unsure initially, I was glad that at the end of just five short treatments, I found relief, and now I am able to walk down the stairs without help.”
A combination of deep tissue laser therapy and adherence to behavioural and exercise patterns recommended by the therapist enabled him to reach a state where the recurrent pains have gone down by 50 to 70 per cent.
Laser therapy, or “photobiomodulation”, is the use of specific wavelengths of light (red and near infrared) to create therapeutic effects at the cellular level. These effects include decreased swelling, pain reduction, increased circulation and overall improved healing time.
“The traditional laser therapy devices were having a range in power output up to 100 MW. The Class IV Deep Tissue High Power laser therapy machine which has been recently introduced has power adjustable from 1,000 to 10,000 MW, which significantly increase clinical outcomes because of their deep penetration at the sight of pain/injury,” says V P Gupta, HOD, Department of Physiotherapy, CTVS, AIIMS.
Some of the common myths associated with laser treatment are that it is harmful and can cause damage to the body which have been ruled out by studies and clinical research over the last few years. Laser therapy is a non-invasive, safe and effective treatment modality where light is used to relieve pain, reduce inflammation and promote wound healing and soft tissue repair. The laser works by converting light into biochemical energy, resulting in normal cell function, which causes symptoms of pain to disappear.
According to Anil Mishra, Sr Consultant Orthopedics at Fortis Aashlok Hospital, “Laser therapy has been successfully used to treat a broad range of medical conditions, including musculoskeletal problems, arthritis, sports injuries, post-surgical wounds and many other conditions.”
Unlike many pharmacological treatments that mask pain or only address the symptoms of disease, laser therapy treats the underlying condition or pathology to promote healing. This means that the treatments are effective and the benefits are long lasting
Benefits
The treatment is painless and highly effective for many diseases and conditions. It eliminates pain and restores normal range of motion and physical function. Further the therapy can be easily applied, is non-invasive, non-toxic, with no known adverse effects and drug interactions.
Asian Samvedana Laser Pain Relief Centre, www.samvedanaa.com, Ph: +91 9958889547