Lasers and Chiropractic

By Shawn D. Keegan, DC

Imagine you have injured yourself. You have pain when you move, but somehow you make it into your chiropractor's office. The doctor comes in to the treatment room with a laser, shines it on the sore area, and the pain decreases. This sounds like a scene from the future, but that technology is available now.

Low-level (cold) lasers have been used internationally over the last 18 years for the treatment of a wide range of medical conditions including soft tissue injuries, neck pain, repetitive stress injuries, tendinitis, hamstring injuries, arthritis, plantar fasciitis, lateral epicondylitis and wound healing. Over 300 clinical studies, 2,000 published articles and a number of texts speak to the validity and efficacy of laser therapy.

However, it was not until 2002, after the FDA approved lasers for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome and related health problems, that they became readily available in the United States.

We have been using laser therapy in the office since 2003 with great results. The best part about treating patients with lasers is the treatment is painless, and all of the research that has been done has yet to find any harmful side effects. In this time of modern medicine, it is refreshing to find a treatment that is completely beneficial with no side effects.

How do they work?

The lasers stimulate the cells to produce energy, or as Dr. Dan Murphy explained in the October 2007 edition of Practical Pain Management, “Lasers increase the mitochondrial production of ATP without increasing the production of free radicals.

Anything that increases the production of ATP energy will speed healing and improve symptoms. Since lasers can achieve this with minimal side effects or risks, low-level laser therapy is here to stay.”

Used with chiropractic and traditional therapies like electrical stimulation, ultrasound, rehab exercises and stretching, lasers are a great new technology that can help get you feeling your best quicker than ever before.