Laser Therapy for Pain Relief

The First in Gainesville, FL to Offer High Power Laser Therapy for Pain

VIP Health and Laser is the first practice in Gainesville, FL to offer laser therapy for pain due to a variety of conditions. Our proprietary laser treatment protocols use a non-invasive diode laser. The treatments used for pain were designed from randomized, double-blind placebo controlled clinical trials. We treat your pain in Gainesville, FL related to several musculoskeletal ailments including:

  • tendinitis such as Achilles tendinitis (chronic inflammation and pain from overuse of muscles)
  • osteoarthritis of the knee, cervical spine, hands and other areas (arthritis from wear on the joints)
  • epicondylitis (tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow, also common in those who don’t play sports)
  • back pain, sacroiliac pain and neck pain
  • athletic performance and recovery
  • carpal tunnel syndrome

Laser therapy for osteoarthritis may be useful to control pain in many different joints of the body. We can provide laser therapy for athletic performance enhancement as well as for speeding exercise recovery and muscle soreness. Our pain management program includes the recommendations for ice, stretching, bracing, correcting muscular imbalance, and supplements shown in randomized placebo controlled trials to control pain and inflammation. Treatments are typically done 3 times per week such as Monday-Wednesday-Friday for 1 month (12 treatments total).

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How does laser therapy for pain work?

The answer is complex, but in simple terms, the laser therapy for pain acts locally to reduce the pain by controlling inflammation. According to an author of a study by G. Tam (1), the laser acts on certain inflammatory agents named prostaglandins to convert them into prostacyclin. Prostacyclin promotes blood vessel dilation and acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. This facilitates the healing process and reduces pain. This process is somewhat similar to the way NSAIDs work (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), but the difference is that the laser acts only on a local area. According to Pires D et al (15), laser therapy has also been reported to lower levels of inflammatory markers including tumor necrosis factor, cytokines, and COX-2 as well as increase levels of nitric oxide, a vasodilator as cited in Roberts DB et al (10).

“It is possible that your doctor has prescribed you an NSAID for pain and you may have not even realized it.”

Do you take an NSAID for pain?

Which NSAIDs do you currently take for pain? There are both over-the-counter and prescription forms. It is possible that your doctor has prescribed you an NSAID for pain and you may have not even realized it. NSAIDs include Advil (ibuprofen) and naproxen (Aleve) affect the body as a whole systemically and have a variety of adverse reactions possible. NSAIDs are different than the laser because they block COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes to inhibit prostaglandins in the body as a whole. All NSAIDs can cause toxic side effects. The big plus for the laser is that it acts only at the site of pain, with minimal side effects compared to NSAIDs.

A list of commonly used NSAIDs (You might be taking one of these):

  • aspirin
  • celecoxib (Celebrex)
  • diclofenac (Cambia, Cataflam, Voltaren-XR, Zipsor, Zorvolex)
  • ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil)
  • indomethacin (Indocin)
  • ketoprofen (Active-Ketoprofen)
  • ketorolac
  • meloxicam (Mobic)
  • nabumetone
  • naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox, Naprelan, Naprosyn)
  • oxaprozin (Daypro)
  • piroxicam (Feldene)
  • salsalate (Disalsate)
  • sulindac
  • tolmetin

According to Preventive Health Advisor, Tylenol and NSAIDs come with a risk of liver failure with chronic use, they increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes, provide a risk of stomach ulcers, increase blood pressure, and can result in kidney failure. These side effects occur even more often in those who take NSAIDs long term or in high doses. At VIP Health and Laser, we provide laser therapy plus add a special diet and nutraceuticals for inflammation control, which are much more safe that NSAIDs, and with few side effects. Adding the supplements to the laser therapy for pain likely adds even better pain and inflammation control than either one alone. We are also able to use ice, heat, athletic tape, and stretching techniques to ease muscle strains and injuries to promote healing.

Research on Laser Therapy Used for Specific Conditions

Research shows that laser therapy for pain relief works best if the area is able to be treated superficially. According to E. Alexis, MD, the penetration of the laser is limited to 5 mm (5). Therefore, pain can be treated most effectively by a laser when the area of pain is close to the body’s surface.

Osteoarthritis

A study was performed using a diode laser over the tender areas of knee osteoarthritis. After 3 treatments per week for 4 weeks, patients were found to have less pain during walking, less pain while walking up steps and less pain at night (6). Alghadir A et al (7) found that laser therapy for osteoarthritis of the knee “showed significant differences in pain intensity at rest and movement, knee function, and ambulation duration when compared with the placebo group.” Hegedus B et al (8) found that laser therapy resulted in an improvement of knee osteoarthritis pain and an improvement in blood circulation by small blood vessels over placebo. Another study evaluated the effect of diode laser treatment on cervical spine osteoarthritis. The laser therapy group experienced significant improvements over a placebo group (9). The laser therapy group showed a benefit in the degree of muscle spasm, range of motion, amount of lordosis, and the degree of overall function (9).

Epicondylitis

Epicondylitis is more commonly known as the 2 most common types: tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow. Tennis elbow is also known as lateral epicondylitis. Lateral epicondylitis is an overuse injury causing tenderness, pain, and weakness involving the ligaments and tendons surrounding the lateral epicondyle of the elbow. Golfers elbow, or medial epicondylitis is a similar chronic overuse injury causing pain and weakness over the medial epicondyle of the elbow.

Research has evaluated the effect of diode laser therapy for pain due to epicondylitis. Roberts DB et al (10) studied a placebo group and a treatment group who were an average age of 48 and 53 years old respectively. They had pain related to epicondylitis for 15 to 16 months. After receiving laser therapy over the site for 1 treatment per day for 3 days, followed by 4 additional treatments during the following 10 days, and then one final treatment during the 3rd week. This initial treatment was repeated after the 1st set of therapy, then it was repeated again at 3, 6, and 12 months. There was a total of 8 laser treatment cycles, each over 18 days.

The treatment group experienced an increase in function and strength plus a reduction in pain when re-evaluated at 3, 6, and 12 months. The treatment group increased their use of the elbow due to the improvements, while the placebo group had continued pain and poor function without improvement over the same 12 months.

Laser Therapy for Pain Due to Tendinitis

Morimoto Y et al (11) performed a study to evaluate the efficacy of diode laser therapy using pain relief scores for 41 sports related injuries. The authors reported a high efficacy rate for improving pain in jumper’s knee, tennis elbow
and Achilles tendinitis.

Athletic Performance and Speeding Exercise Recovery

As part of our Concierge Wellness Program, we are able to use nutritional guidance, exercise programs, supplements, and laser therapy to achieve the best possible result for athletes in competition. Athletes are always looking to find an competitive edge in sports to beat their opponents. Some research has shown performance enhancement by laser therapy when applied to large muscles either before or after exercise. One study by Antonialli et al (14) used diode lasers and LEDs over 6 locations on the front of the quadriceps muscle exactly 3 minutes before exercise. The study found that a 30 J dose of laser therapy “significantly increases performance, decreases delayed onset muscle soreness, and improves biochemical markers related to skeletal muscle damage.” A study by de Brito Vieira et al (12) reported lower rates of muscle fatigue when laser therapy was applied during the rest phase of exercise. Another author, Dos Reis et al (13) reported a lower blood concentration of creatinine kinase and lactate after laser therapy was applied to the quadriceps before or after exercise fatigue.

How to get started on Laser Therapy for Pain

We have an easy step by step online process for you to get started with laser pain therapy. We have hours available by appointment to fit it into your busy schedule. Please don’t hesitate to call us if you have any questions. Click the button below to start your treatments.

book laser therapy online for pain

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References:

  1. Tam G. Low power laser therapy and analgesic action.
    J Clin Laser Med Surg. 1999 Feb;17(1):29-33.
  2. Simunovic Z, Trobonjaca T, Trobonjaca Z. Treatment of medial and lateral epicondylitis–tennis and golfer’s elbow–with low level laser therapy: a multicenter double blind, placebo-controlled clinical study on 324 patients. J Clin Laser Med Surg. 1998 Jun;16(3):145-51.
  3. de Jesus JF, Spadacci-Morena DD, dos Anjos Rabelo ND, Pinfildi CE, Fukuda TY, Plapler H. Low-level laser therapy in IL-1β, COX-2, and PGE2 modulation in partially injured Achilles tendon. Lasers Med Sci. 2015 Jan;30(1):153-8.
  4. Vecchio P, Cave M, King V, Adebajo AO, Smith M, Hazleman BL. A double-blind study of the effectiveness of low level laser treatment of rotator cuff tendinitis. Br J Rheumatol. 1993 Aug;32(8):740-2.
  5. Alexis E Te, MD. The Next Generation in Laser Treatments and the Role of the GreenLight High-Performance System Laser. Rev Urol. 2006; 8(Suppl 3): S24–S30.
  6. Soleimanpour H, Gahramani K, Taheri R, Golzari SE, Safari S, Esfanjani RM, Iranpour A. The effect of low-level laser therapy on knee osteoarthritis: prospective, descriptive study. Lasers Med Sci. 2014 Sep;29(5):1695-700.\
  7. Alghadir A, Omar MT, Al-Askar AB, Al-Muteri NK. Effect of low-level laser therapy in patients with chronic knee osteoarthritis: a single-blinded randomized clinical study. Lasers Med Sci. 2014 Mar;29(2):749-55.
  8. Hegedus B, Viharos L, Gervain M, Gálfi M. The effect of low-level laser in knee osteoarthritis: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Photomed Laser Surg. 2009 Aug;27(4):577-84
  9. Ozdemir F, Birtane M, Kokino S. The clinical efficacy of low-power laser therapy on pain and function in cervical osteoarthritis. Clin Rheumatol. 2001;20(3):181-4.
  10. Roberts DB, Kruse RJ, Stoll SF. The effectiveness of therapeutic class IV (10 W) laser treatment for epicondylitis. Lasers Surg Med. 2013 Jul;45(5):311-7.
  11. Morimoto Y, Saito A, Tokuhashi Y. Low level laser therapy for sports injuries. Laser Ther. 2013;22(1):17-20.
  12. de Brito Vieira WH, Bezerra RM, Queiroz RA, Maciel NF, Parizotto NA, Ferraresi C. Use of low-level laser therapy (808 nm) to muscle fatigue resistance: a randomized double-blind crossover trial. Photomed Laser Surg. 2014 Dec;32(12):678-85.
  13. Dos Reis FA, da Silva BA, Laraia EM, de Melo RM, Silva PH, Leal-Junior EC, de Carvalho Pde T. Effects of pre- or post-exercise low-level laser therapy (830 nm) on skeletal muscle fatigue and biochemical markers of recovery in humans: double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Photomed Laser Surg. 2014 Feb;32(2):106-12. doi: 10.1089/pho.2013.3617. Epub 2014 Jan 23.
  14. Antonialli FC, De Marchi T, Tomazoni SS, Vanin AA, dos Santos Grandinetti V, de Paiva PR, Pinto HD, Miranda EF, de Tarso Camillo de Carvalho P, Leal-Junior EC. Phototherapy in skeletal muscle performance and recovery after exercise: effect of combination of super-pulsed laser and light-emitting diodes. Lasers Med Sci. 2014 Nov;29(6):1967-76.
  15. Pires D, Xavier M, Arau´jo T, Silva JA, Aimbire F, Albertini R. Low-level laser therapy (LLLT; 780 nm) acts differently on mRNA expression of anti- and pro-inflammatory mediators in an experimental model of collagenase-induced tendinitis in rat. Lasers Med Sci 2011;26:85–94.
  16. Preventive Health Advisor Database. Arthritis Natural Pain Relief and Supplements for Inflammation. https://preventivehealthadvisor.com Accessed June 17, 2018.