Light is an important ingredient for the human body’s well being. Without proper exposure to light the human body can become deficient in certain nutrients. Its hormones that regulate mood and emotion can also become off balance. Exposure to sunlight can also help to prevent autoimmune diseases. In a chiropractic setting, laser therapy takes advantage of the healing properties of light while providing a treatment that is noninvasive and of little discomfort to the patient. In this form of treatment, lasers are used to penetrate the skin and tissues in order to increase blood circulation and improve cellular function. Laser therapy taps into the natural ability of the body to heal itself.
Laser therapy can be used to treat both chronic and acute pain. It works by increasing the size of the blood vessels in the treated area causing an increase in the flow of blood. This increased blood flow helps to clear away toxins from painful areas, resulting in less pain and inflammation. Lasers can also be used on lymph nodes, helping these nodes to drain so that healing time is reduced.
In a chiropractic setting, a low energy and low output level laser is used for a period of time lasting from 10 seconds to four minutes. These laser treatments are available for patients suffering from chronic neck and back pain, arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar fascitis and fibromyalgia. Laser therapy can also help speed healing in patients suffering with burns or other wounds. Treatments of this type may also be beneficial in muscle and nerve regeneration.