Laser Therapy
Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is a medical treatment that uses low-level lasers to alter cellular function. LLLT has been widely used as adjuvant strategy for treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. The light-tissue interaction (photobiostimulation) promotes analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects and improves tissue healing. LLLT can benefit not only the pain of acute joint inflammation but also the chronic pain.
Acute and Chronic Pain Therapy
The clinical application of low incident power density laser radiation for the treatment of acute and chronic pain is now a well-established procedure. Laser therapy is effective for a wide variety of acute and chronic pain syndromes whose main presenting symptom is pain.
Acute trauma is invariably associated with a degree of soft tissue injury comprising swelling, hematoma, pain, reduced mobility and in the lower limbs impaired weight bearing. Sporting injuries and domestic accidents usually involve damage to muscles, joint ligaments and tendons. Laser therapy should be instituted at the earliest opportunity. Compared to conventional physiotherapy, the laser treated patients showed a more rapid resolution of symptoms and an earlier return to full weight bearing.
Chronic pain, as the name implies, may last for months and years. Pain may arise as a result of damage caused by trauma or surgery or be manifested as a symptom of a systemic disease process. Finally neuralgic pain such as postherpetic or trigeminal neuralgic can cause prolonged problems to sufferers. A high percentage of patients referred for laser therapy will have already shown little or no response to conventional methods of treatment.
Laser therapy can benefit not only the pain of acute small joint inflammation but also the more established chronic pain of the disease. Compared with conventional methods of treatment, laser proved to be not only more effective but more economical as well. The added advantage of absence of side effects and non-invasive nature of therapy.
Mechanism of the Analgesic Effect of Laser
In this section, some of the factors that can cause analgesic effect of laser are observed:
- Reducing the production and releasing rate of pain receptor stimuli (Histamine, Acetylcholine and so on)
- Reducing the sensitivity of pain receptors and as a result reducing the impulse transferring from these receptors.
- Preventing the production of pain stimulus (Bradykinin)
- Preventing the production of inflammatory stimulus (PGE2), which enhances other stimuli effect on pain receptors.
- Increasing lymphatic drainage and as a result reducing tissue edema, which reduces pressure on the nerves and nerve irritation.
- Increasing cortical inhibitory mechanisms that increases the descending pain impulses on posterior horn of spinal cord and inhibits pain impulses on cortical surface.
