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Laser therapy is quickly becoming the go-to option for many people seeking treatment nowadays due to the many advantages it has over the traditional forms of treatment. It is a type of treatment that makes use of focused light on a damaged area of the body to get rid of unwanted growth of cells. The word Laser in this context is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
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How Laser Therapy Works
The photons present in the Laser emission enter the intended tissue and are immediately absorbed by the mitochondria. These photons are then converted into chemical energy in the form of what is known as ATP. This triggers the cell membrane to become permeable, which in turn triggers a physiological change. Some of the changes affect body cells and nerve conduction rates. Just to be clear, the process is photochemical, not thermal.
Benefits of Laser Therapy
Laser therapy has some benefits that other conventional means of treatment do not have. The following are some of the notable ones.
It is Precise and Painless
The laser light used in medical laser therapy is very precise and targets the intended area with astounding accuracy. Because of this, there is less damage to the healthy surrounding areas since they will barely be touched by the light. This makes the method painless when you compare it with the normal forms of treatment.
It is Non-Invasive
When undergoing laser therapy surgery, you will barely feel it. The common misconception about this form of treatment is that people expect to feel a lot of heat since there is light involved. Laser therapy is not thermal; it is a photochemical process; therefore, it is non-invasive; you will not even know when the process has begun or when it ends.
It has no Known Side Effects
Conventional treatment methods, like surgery, have very heavy side effects. If you are from the surgical table, for instance, you may not be able to talk and walk for a while due to the lingering effects of anesthesia. Side effects of laser therapy are a thing of the past. There is no administration of drugs or the need for pain-numbing drugs.
It Stimulates Rapid Healing
Laser therapy stimulates the lymph and increases vascular activity, making blood circulate more efficiently. This, in turn, stimulates the cell reconnection process, which brings back damaged and numb areas of the body back to life. It also stimulates the development of fibroblast in damaged tissues, which in turn reduces the recovery times, accelerating the healing process, something that usually takes a while when other forms of treatment are involved.
It Does Not Leave Scars
Unlike invasive treatment methods that leave permanent scars on the skin, laser therapy is non-invasive and leaves the skin as perfect as it was. It pulls this off by minimizing the fibrous tissue, which is usually responsible for the formation of scars on the incised areas after surgery. It could be argued that laser physiotherapy is a better alternative for most minor surgical processes.
Highly Effective for Complicated Conditions
Laser therapy is the best go-to option for some of the most complicated health issues. Sometimes the conventional drugs don’t just cut it, and at times, a safe way to deal with a known issue may not be available. It is during moments like this that laser therapy comes through. Some conditions like arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia pain, among others, can be better handled by cold laser therapy.
Involves Little to No Administration of Drugs
Low level laser light therapy is a variation of the broader laser light therapy that is sometimes called photomedicine. It is a non-invasive method of treatment that is drug-free. It simply deals with the affected areas of the body it is focused on, and treatment takes place on the spot: no injections, no long list of prescriptions, and no need for pain-numbing medication.
They do Not Interfere with Implants
Laser therapy can be used safely on people who have vital implants like pacemakers without affecting how they operate or interfering with their rhythm. Laser therapy does not emit any electromagnetic pulses; it only emits photons which cannot be absorbed by metals. Therefore people who have various types of implants can undergo laser therapy.
Conclusion
Laser therapy is quickly becoming the preferred mode of treatment, and as laser therapy equipment improves with time, the possibilities are unlimited. There is great hope that in the future, laser therapy will provide the much sought after breakthrough in the treatment of serious diseases like cancer that have plagued humanity for years. Rapid tissue regeneration is also another area that is holding much promise.
