COLD LASER THERAPY

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COLD LASER THERAPY

_http://www.momentumchiropractic.com/coldLaser.html_

(http://www.momentumchiropractic.com/coldLaser.html)

The following information has been abstracted from various websites, in

particular, Dr. Orwick of Natural Life Chiropractic of Tucson, AR.

Special thanks to Dr. Amy D.C. and Dan D.C., DAC, BO who

professionally lecture on the laser and gathered the majority of this

information

from many sources, including the 3 books listed at the bottom. For further

information, please contact Dr. Khanin of Momentum Chiropractic,

San Francisco, 415.661.1772

HOW COLD LASER WORKS

When the body has an injury the cells are damaged and fail to function

within normal parameters. Low level lasers from the Cold Laser machine

penetrate deeply into the skin and work by restoring this abnormal cellular

function. Cold Laser uses a non-heat producing light laser, which is locked at

a

specific wavelength that is optimal for treatment and can penetrate deeply

into tissue. Cold Laser or Low Level Laser Therapy is emerging as the

therapeutic modality in the healing arts community.

The biological effects of Low Level Laser Therapy have been shown to

significantly accelerate and enhance the body's natural defense and repair

abilities when injured. By reducing the duration of inflammation as well as

enhancing specific repair and healing process, Low Level Laser Therapy has been

proven to provide pain relief, reduce damage due to the injury and loss of

function. Low Level Laser Therapy enables the body to have a more rapid

repair and stronger tissues once healed.

Physiologic effects include improved metabolism, circulation and tissue

healing.

Laser therapy may be useful for the following:

* tendonitis

* frozen shoulder

* fractures

* post-operative wounds

* sprain-strains

* scar tissue

* autoimmune diseases

* chronic or acute pain

* wound healing

* arthritis

* migraines

* disc herniations

* minor nerve damage

* carpal tunnel syndrome

* heavy metal detoxification

EXAMPLES OF COLD LASER APPLICATIONS

PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES: To treat top athletes in order to return them to

competition at a much accelerated pace. If you remember, last year, Lance

Armstrong and the US Postal Service team were involved in quite a few bad

wrecks, yet they were able to race the next day. According to Jeff Spencer,

Armstrong's chiropractor who treated him with Cold Laser, if an injured

athlete can get in for laser treatment within 2-3 hours of the injury,

rehabilitation time can be cut in half.

BURN VICTIMS: To accelerate wound and burn healing, at a rate 25-40%

faster and with less scarring. This is an excellent demonstration of external

healing reflecting what is happening on the cellular level, where internal

healing is often neither seen nor felt.

NERVE AND SPINAL INJURIES: To rehabilitate severed nerve bundles, at a

rate of 300% faster than a control group tested in a University of Health and

Sciences, Bethesda, MD., (research study conducted by Anders and Broke).

This was after only 14 daily, 90 minutes treatments. It suggests promising

results will be found in the future for peripheral nerve damage and possible

spinal cord injuries.

CANCER: To inhibit cancer cell growth and, at the same time, enhance

healthy cell growth. Research at the University of Munich shows that Cold Lasers

have a bio-modulation effect. Bio-modulation is the ability to inhibit the

activity of overactive cells (inflammation) and stimulate under active

cells (atrophy), which distinguishes it from the universal damage caused by

chemotherapy or radiation.

OTHER INJURIES: To increase the range of motion (ROM), to increase muscle

strength, to decrease pain and inflammation and to accelerate overall

healing time for a variety of injuries. Chiropractors and physical therapists

use the cold laser for whiplash-strain-sprain, chronic frozen shoulder, long

standing TMJ problems, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, sinusitis,

etc.

The Cold Laser, or Low Level Laser Therapy, can be used for:

-- Inflammatory conditions- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Epicondylitis, Plantar

Fascitis, Bursitis with excellent results.

-- Pain management for Fibric Myalgia Myofscial pain, cervical neck,

thoracic and low back pain.

-- Connective tissue disorders such as sprains, strains, tendonitis, and

tendon ruptures.

-- Joint injuries, disorders such as TMJ disorders, osteoarthritis,

dislocations, and ligament injuries.

-- Muscle injury or disorders such as muscle bruises, contusions, muscle

ruptures, and muscle shortening contractures like frozen shoulders.

-- Neurological injury or disorders such as prolapsed disc, ruptured or

herniated discs, crush injuries, neuritis, and headaches.

BENEFITS: Lasers are painless, sterile. No undesirable side effects. Much

more affordable than surgery.

EXPLANATION OF LIGHT (LASER) THERAPY

**Light therapy is not a new concept. The sun*s photonic rays cause a seed

to sprout through RNA and DNA changes. The sun*s rays are full-spectrum

light, which means many wavelengths are present (400-800 Nanometers), but

only one specific wavelength, or frequency, causes the seeds to germinate. In

1924 Bose and Einstein, great men of science, predicted the Laser. Laser is

an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.

In 1978, Dr. Frolich helped to establish the Wave Particle Theory, which

now forms the foundation of quantum physics and defines the mechanism of

life, as we now know it. Human cells, tissue and organs have specific

frequencies that regulate important cellular functions such as protein

synthesis,

cellular division and communication. Frolich used quantum physics to explain

that a cells living matrix must produce coherent or laser-like

oscillations, unique resonance's. He stated that these resonance's serve as

signals

that integrate processes such as growth, injury repair, immune mediation and

the overall functioning of the organism. Each molecule, cell, tissue and

organ has an ideal resonance frequency that coordinates its activity. Using

certain laser frequencies can alter or balance the body's systemic defense

and repair mechanism.

In 1994, Dr. stated that pathologies manifest themselves as chemical

imbalances with the underlying cause being electromagnetic. By applying a

specific frequency, normal function and balance can be restored. Physicists

Schawlow and Townes brought the laser into modern medical arenas, where

they are being used for a variety of treatments. Most of the lasers used in

the medical field have been High Frequency Hot Lasers, which are catabolic

(destructive) in nature such as the ones used in eye surgery. Cold Lasers

are anabolic, or regenerative in nature.

Laser therapy is based on photochemical and photobiological effects of the

cells and tissues. With laser light, cell functions are stimulated,

especially the increase of a cells ATP (energy). This increase in ATP synthesis

is associated with increased cell metabolism; increase collagen synthesis,

stimulation of DNA formation, improved immune system function and increased

new formation of capillaries. The laser also has been shown to increase

neurotransmitters (serotonin), to increase enhance tissue regeneration through

increasing fibroblasts and keratinocytes, to increase antioxidants and to

accelerate bone and scar healing.

The Erchonia PL 5000 is a low frequency laser, with a very specific

(630-640) 635 Nanometer wavelength. The frequencies are the pulsations that can

be programmed in by the doctor for different purposes (i.e., muscle growth,

inflammation, etc.). The PL 5000 has two laser heads with the capacity to

distribute four frequencies at the same time. It uses coherent light, which

is light traveling in the same direction at the same wavelength. The human

cell functions at 630-640 nanometers (NM). It has been documented that DNA

replication occurs at 635 NM, and cellular phagocytosis (cellular

housecleaning or detoxification) happens at 634 NM, and that injured neurons

(nerve

cells) heal best at 635 NM.

Most significantly, research shows that every cell has a least three kinds

of basic receptors for neurotransmitters (i.e., serotonin, dopamine),

hormones (insulin, thyroid, estrogen) and photoreceptors. The laser affects the

human cells through the photoreceptors, causing a physiological effect.

Nerves, for example, are affected by the temperature, the pH within the cell,

the oxygen available, and the amount of ATP (a cellular unit of energy)

available. The laser stimulates ATP production and oxygen at a cellular

level, which activates enzymatic cascades that help the cell to detoxify

itself.

These changes result in activating cells or nerves and setting up an

environment in which they function best.

Accelerated healing, the primary goal for any kind of injury, is hard to

demonstrate in one laser session. However, your chiropractor can demonstrate

the ability to increase your range of motion (ROM) and increase muscle

strength by testing you before and after the laser treatment. By increasing

your ROM, you are preserving the function and structure of your cartilage and

discs. Movement brings vital nutrients and fluids to cartilage and discs.

The less your neck, spine or joints move, the sooner breakdown begins.

Joint degeneration, or cartilage starvation, is osteoarthritis, which can cause

considerable pain and is progressive in nature. Disc breakdown is

degenerative disc disease. This can cause bone spurs pressing on nerves,

causing

pain, such as sciatica. The muscle strength test is performed in order to test

nerve root function, not just muscle performance. Testing the deltoid

strength bilaterally, for example, is evaluating the function of the C5 nerve

root. Restored muscle strength actually indicates that the nerve root has

been reactivated. With a properly functioning nervous system, balanced muscle

strength is available to optimally perform three vital functions: to move

the body and joints, to stabilize joints, and to inhibit pain at the spinal

cord level.

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

**Laser Therapy Clinical Practice and Scientific Background**

By Jan and Lars Hode Prima Books, 2002, 1,281 references

**Therapeutic Laser, Theory and Practice**

By G. Baxter Churchill Livingston, 1999

**Energy Medicine: The Scientific Basis** By L. Oschman PhD

Churchill Livingston 2000

You can also go to _www.erchonia.com_ (http://www.erchonia.com/) for