Injuries can be deprival in several aspects. More often than not, they cause pain that deprives your comfort and ability to conduct your daily tasks. As a result, most victims opt for pain killers or even surgeries to heal the situation. The good news is, there is an advanced remedy to eradicate this pain with no need for surgeries.
This is deep tissue laser therapy. If you are suffering from a deep, painful injury and you want it relieved, deep tissue laser therapy is a solution for you. So, what is this? This is a non-invasive method that helps patients manage chronic or acute pain. It is also a good solution if you have inflammation in the tissues. However, there are many other conditions that laser therapy treats.
Note that the process is so painless, safe, warming, fast and effective. In this article, we dive into Deep Tissue Lesser Therapy and how it works. Also, you will know the conditions that it treats.
How Does Deep Tissue Laser Therapy Work?
More or less, deep tissue laser therapy works similar to deep tissue massage. One of its greatest pros is that it concentrates directly on the exact damaged cells/ tissues. Therefore, it works by focusing high-energy light on the affected area that stimulates photobiomodulation process. Through this process, photons enter your tissues then are absorbed into the mitochondria through the cell membrane. These photons are then converted into chemical energy in the form of ATP. This ATP energy starts the healing process in the affected area, increasing your body’s cellular metabolism. It also stimulates cytochrome oxidase enzymes that fasten regeneration and healing of tissues. This helps to repair and heal any torn or strained tissues that cause inflammation, discomfort, or pain. It also enhances your body’s natural ability to heal.
Deep tissue laser therapy also encourages circulation of red blood cells towards the injured area. This increases oxygenation to that damaged area which in turn heals inflammation as well as reducing the pain.
Why Choose Deep Tissue Laser Therapy?
Deep tissue laser therapy has greatly changed the lives of many. This treatment is so beneficial to the body, helps to boost body metabolism, and happens with no or slight side effects. Apart from that, it is considered by many because of the following benefits;
- It is effective: Deep tissue laser therapy is super effective in reducing the amount of pain or inflammation over injuries. It has proven to be effective in penetrating through injured deep tissues thus offering treatment in several acute and chronic conditions instantly.
- It’s cheaper and saves on surgery cost: Before laser therapy technology, people used surgery and pain killers to relieve pain and inflammation. Therefore, this non-invasive treatment has provided a cheaper alternative to surgery thus saving on treatment cost.
- It’s soothing: Besides effectiveness, there is no pain or discomfort during deep tissue laser therapy treatment. In fact, it brings out a soothing, warm and gentle feeling that makes you enjoy the experience. This is as a result of your body cells response to laser therapy light.
- It’s fast: Deep tissue laser therapy is not only effective but also fast. The treatment takes less time that is nothing compared to surgeries. However, this depends with the acuteness and size of the injury.
- It’s a versatile treatment: Laser therapy works with 0. 5 to 25 W. This makes it extremely flexible with an ability to treat several conditions. It can treat acute conditions, chronic conditions, disc injuries among other types of injuries with immediate results.
What Conditions Does Deep Tissue Laser Therapy Treat?
Deep tissue laser therapy speeds wound healing and tissue regeneration. Additionally, it alleviates inflammation and reestablishes normal cellular activity. Laser therapy is useful in the treatment of the following conditions:
- Neck and shoulder pain: Although this is not well established, deep tissue laser therapy can help you treat neck or shoulder pain in a span of 2-6 months. However, this depends on the intensity of the injury. Laser therapy will allow your body to restore any damaged tissue.
- Low back pain: Laser therapy helps in the modulation of pain, which makes it ideal for low back pain treatment. Besides, it does not have inflammatory effects on your skin. This makes it ideal for back pain treatment.
- Knee pain: Knees can contract pain due to injuries or arthritis. Some of the pains are severe and may lead to surgery. However, laser therapy guarantees you temporary pain relief with long-term healing.
- Disc problems: Laser therapy accelerates healing by activating the cells inside the tissue. Note this is the tissue around the disc. This subsequently decreases inflammation, hence giving pain relief.
- Sciatica: Laser therapy is a remarkable technique for alleviating severe sciatica symptoms. It is FDA-approved, increasing its trustworthiness to people. Therefore, laser therapy is a non-invasive therapy option for people with persistent sciatica symptoms.
- Sports injuries, like sprains and strains: Sportsmen are prone to these types of injuries. Laser Therapy is quite successful for such ailments. It speeds up the healing process by up to four times. It does so by decreasing swelling and inflammation. This encourages rapid repair of injured tissues while alleviating pain.
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Deep Tissue Laser Therapy Side Effects
Laser treatment has no known severe adverse effects on the majority of conditions. This is according to peer-reviewed research. However, to some recipients, it is associated with the following side effects;
- It may cause flushing of the skin and a slight sensation of warmth. These alterations are transient in nature, often lasting only a few hours.
- Improper dosage can result in swelling in acute injuries with high inflammation.
- It may also increase nerve-related discomfort in some situations caused by excessive stimulation. This is common with nerve tissue. It is typically remedied by changing the therapy parameters.
- Might cause redness or change of color during treatment that disappears afterwards.
Contraindications Of Laser Therapy
Laser treatment has a plethora of known advantages. However, there are several contraindications compared to other therapies. It is worth highlighting these few concerns so that you can consult your doctor before embracing this therapy. Note, some contraindications are normally presumed when they are not.
1. Pregnancy
Pregnancy is an asserted contraindication. It is wise to avoid excessive dosages in the pregnant womb. Note that the notion of any danger in treating distant areas of the body in relation to the uterus is not verified. Research actually indicates that therapeutic lasers are safe when used in distant areas.
2. Epilepsy
Flashing visible red light at a frequency of 5–10 Hz can induce epileptic seizures. Since deep tissue laser therapy treatment devices use flashing visible light, it is advised to apply extreme caution with epileptics. Simunovic researcher concluded that a patient can tolerate only frequencies below 800 Hz.
3. Thyroid Gland
Thyroid glands are fragile structures. It is wise to avoid therapeutic laser treatment for the thyroid glands. Note that human medicinal research is normally done with rats as a specimen since rat research depicts exactly what can happen to humans. Therefore, research shows that rats exposed to high levels of light radiation develop thyroid problems due to the sensitive nature of the thyroid gland, laser treatment is not suggested.
4. Cancer
Oncologists are the only ones responsible for cancer treatment. Either way, you can also get treatment from other qualified experts. This is as per the legal regulations in the United States. Therefore, patients receiving radiation therapy should not have laser treatment. However, new scientific research presents a more favorable picture of laser therapy. Therapeutic lasers stimulate cell development, which poses a very big question. Are they not contraindicated in areas containing possibly malignant cells?
5. Children
There is concern about the use of therapeutic lasers on children. This is primarily because of the presence of bone growth plates. Cheetham, a researcher, irradiated young rats’ healthy growth plates. Each rat in the experimental group had one knee irradiated three times per week. After 6 to 12 treatments, the rats were histologically evaluated.
There were no noticeable changes between the treated and control groups. So, you can use laser treatment with caution in areas with bone development. Note, the study on possible adverse effects is insufficient.
6. Skin discolorations and tattoos
People who have tattoos on their skin should be cautious about laser treatment. There are different reactions to laser light on tattooed areas. So, they are frequently prohibited.
7. Diabetes
There are questions revolving around diabetes contraindications to therapeutic laser treatment. This is because there are a number of studies that have shown beneficial effects on diabetic individuals.
For instance, Kotani, a researcher, examined the rates of wound healing in three groups of rats. A normal rat, rats with diabetes mellitus induced artificially, and doxorubicin-treated rats (Adriamycin). Adriamycin is an anti-cancer medication that suppresses the growth of fibroblasts.
Daily, a HeNe laser dosage of 5.4J/cm2 was normally administered. The diabetic group that got laser therapy had a quicker rate of wound healing. That is when they compared the groups. The Adriamycin group healed comparably to the group that did not get laser treatment. This shows that you can use laser therapy with caution.
FAQs – Frequently Ask Questiobs
Does deep tissue laser therapy hurt?
No. As mentioned above, deep tissue laser therapy does not hurt. Although it’s typically administered directly to your skin with no clothing on, this therapy does not hurt. However, you may experience a slight sensation during treatment that doesn’t hurt.
How much does deep tissue laser therapy cost?
The total cost of deep tissue therapy varies per the severity of your injury, your physician fee as well as the number of sessions that you might need to attend. However, the average cost of deep tissue therapy is $89 per session.
How long does deep tissue laser therapy sessions last?
Deep tissue laser therapy sessions last differently depending on the size of the affected area. Large affected areas are likely to take a long duration as your physician needs to evaluate several factors. However, the average time of deep tissue laser therapy should be between 3 to 10 minutes per session.
How long does it take to recover from laser therapy?
Healing from laser therapy also depends on a number of factors. For instance, the nature, size of your condition, and the laser type used to treat your condition. However, the average recovery period should be between one to three weeks. Most laser therapy plans will involve 6-12 treatments, with more treatment needed for long-standing, chronic conditions.
Is deep tissue laser therapy covered by insurance?
No. most health insurances in the USA have not embraced deep tissue laser therapy. This is because of the high cost incurred after several sessions of treatment. Therefore, deep tissue laser therapy is a cash option for most physicians.
Does deep tissue laser therapy work for neuropathy?
While it might not directly heal neuropathic conditions, deep tissue therapy manages the pain and inflammation symptoms of neuropathy. Therefore, it is effective in fighting pain and generally increasing the quality of life of neuropathy patients.
Can I use deep tissue laser therapy at home?
Yes. It’s possible to use deep tissue laser therapy at home as it does require technical preparation. With the right devices, you can use deep tissue laser therapy in the comfort of your home. However, deep tissue laser therapy is considered safe and more effective when used under a qualified doctor’s care.
Does mayo clinic provide deep tissue laser therapy?
Yes. Among many clinics that provide deep tissue laser therapy, mayo clinic is one of them. The clinic has a number of specialists that have proven effectiveness in providing these treatments to a number of patients over the last years.
How to find deep tissue laser therapy near me?
One of the easiest ways to find deep tissue laser therapy near you is to seek help from Google. Here, you should turn your google location feature ‘on’ and Google will highlight all deep tissue laser therapy clinics around you. Also, you can talk to nearby friends or family to help you identify deep tissue laser therapy near you.
Final Recap
Since technology is advancing in all fields, health care has not been left out. Deep tissue laser therapy is the recently advanced solution for your pain and inflammation conditions. As seen, this non-invasive treatment has a number of health benefits. Besides, it’s also affordable, painless with a short-term recovery period. What are you waiting for? Find a reliable laser therapy clinic near you and get treated. All the best!