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Low Level Laser Therapy
for treatment of pain
by Jacob Mirman
Many people know me as a classical homeopath. However, today I'd like to talk about
a new form of therapy for all kinds of arthritis, injuries, sprains and other musculo-skeletal
problems, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, TMJ and overuse syndromes. Low Level Laser
Therapy (LLLT or cold laser) has been used for 30 years around the world, but it
is virtually unknown in the Midwest. While homeopathy is wonderful for a great variety
of conditions, it often lacks effectiveness in some musculo-skeletal conditions mentioned
above.
I discovered LLLT in 2001 when I went to a conference in Toronto, Canada. While there,
I visited a clinic where it was used. I saw patients with chronic joint problems
claiming improvements I did not think were possible. The founder of the clinic was
originally diagnosed with rotator cuff tear and surgery was advised. A surgeon himself,
he knew the odds and refused. Instead he found a doctor using a cold laser and was
cured without surgery. He then stopped performing surgery and started a laser practice.
I met an elderly, overweight gentleman with bad knees who was advised to have bilateral
knee replacements. He was very excited to tell me that he did not think he needed
the surgery any more and demonstrated how he could now walk with just a light cane,
whereas just a month ago he was wheelchair bound. I saw a diabetic patient with chronic
foot ulcers claiming wonderful improvement. What I saw was hard to believe, yet it
was right there in front of my eyes.
I was lucky at the time to have had a slight pain in my shoulder for about two weeks.
I figured, it was a blessing, as I could test the treatment on myself. In my experience
there is nothing like getting cured to make you believe in a therapy. I received
a single treatment and my pain resolved by morning. Then I knew I wanted this therapy
in my office. I just didn't know yet how to make it happen at the business end.
One year later, my family and I were driving to Montreal via Toronto. My wife had
a pain in her arm muscles that had been lingering for six months. This was a result
of "overuse," caused by helping our daughter in gymnastics. I took her
to the clinic to be treated. She received a single treatment. Three days later, I
asked her how her arm was feeling. She replied that she forgot about it and that,
in fact, the pain was gone.
In December 2004, I was seeing a patient with severe pains in the knee resulting
from multiple injuries and surgeries. I told him about the clinic in Toronto and
suggested that he go there for treatment. He asked why I didn't have it in my clinic,
if this therapy was so good. I explained that the machines are expensive, and I would
need some business help to bring them here. So he said, "Let's go look at them."
We went to Toronto. My patient got a couple of treatments, felt much better, got
very excited and bought two machines for our clinic. So now we have the first Bioflex®
LLLT machines in the Midwest and now can help our patients with this remarkable technology.
Since December we have already prevented surgery in two patients with shoulder injuries
(rotator cuff tears) and cured them painlessly with our beams of light! A tennis
player with chronic wrist pain is back playing tennis. Many people with all kinds
of pains are better. And all this without the dangerous drugs or surgery.
How does it work and how is this laser different from other lasers? We are used to
hearing about lasers that cut or burn tissue. These devices are used in surgery.
The reason for the destructive effect of these "hot" lasers is the fact
that the tissues absorb the laser light energy and heat up to the point of burning.
The low level, or "cold" laser, by its very nature, does not burn tissue.
It is not strong enough to do it, and the specific wave length it operates on makes
this light go right through tissues, like regular light goes through glass.
However, as the laser light goes through the cell, a part of it is absorbed by the
cellular organelles (internal cell organs), like the mitochondria, and causes certain
photochemical reactions to take place. As a result, the cell becomes energized and
better able to regenerate. The energy substances (ATP and others) are produced and
can be measured by certain tests. Studies also showed increased DNA production in
treated cells, which indicate cell growth and multiplication, which translates into
healing in the body.
Besides the musculo-skeletal conditions, LLLT is also used for healing chronic skin
ulcers, as in diabetics, and for cosmetic purposes, like reduction of stretch marks
and ugly scars, as well as in a variety of other conditions.
Jacob Mirman, M.D., is a board-certified internist and homeopath. He sees patients
in Homeopathic Medical Clinic in Richfield, Minn. For more information about LLLT
,visit www.laser-mn.com or call (612) 836-1424.
Copyright © 2005 Jacob Mirman. All rights reserved. |
| April 2005 |
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