We are very excited to announce the latest addition to innovative treatments offered here at Tulsa Spine & Rehab, this being the MicroLight Laser. It’s been here only a couple of weeks and we are already receiving extremely positive feedback from our patients concerning its benefits.
First, it’s the only FDA approved cold laser out there. There are two types of lasers, cold and hot, with the hot laser being used primarily in surgery for cutting; then there is the cold laser. Cold lasers do not cause pain of any sort and its primary function is healing tissues. The MicroLight Laser is a handheld device that emits a wavelength of laser which promotes tissue regeneration and healing. In our clinic, it has been used for musculoskeletal complaints such as arthritis, tendon issues, and muscle and joint pain.
We used the laser for a patient’s plantar-fasciitis and his response to it was very positive.
Essentially, the way it works is that it makes changes at a cellular level by stimulating the parts of cells that are responsible for healing and growth. This reduces inflammation and most importantly, reduces your pain. Typically, a patient may feel some relief after the very first treatment and the number of treatments will vary from six to eight visits. The amount of actual time we treat a patient with this laser can vary between six to eight minutes.
The MicroLight Laser is yet another proverbial tool in our toolbox and it is extremely complimentary to many other treatments we provide. We treat a lot of neck, low back pain, sports and orthopedic type injuries and this laser works well in conjunction with chiropractic, physical therapy, massage and exercise which all combine to make treatment much more effective. I have been asked some funny questions about this laser device, one of which came from my wife when she asked if we could use it for laser hair removal. Of course, I had to inform her that this laser was strictly therapeutic, much to her disappointment. The information that my patients most want to hear is how this laser is very, very safe and there have been no reported side effects. In fact, there are absolutely no downsides to its use and patients can only stand to benefit from being treated with it.
One final feature I’ll mention is the fact that this laser can speed up recovery time. It’s a fact that hardcore athletes as well as weekend warriors can suffer post-inflammatory responses such as edema, swelling or muscle and joint pain. We used the MicroLight Laser just this last week on several athletes who felt that they had some edema even though they felt no pain. We gave them two treatments, their response was great and I am quite certain that more patients will be reporting positive results in the near future from the use of this new laser.
