Laser Therapy
Accelerating deep-tissue healing for acute & chronic pain relief
Standard treatments like ice or basic stretching often only address surface-level symptoms. When you suffer from inflammation or ligament damage, your body needs a more targeted approach to heal effectively. If your recovery has plateaued with traditional methods, it may be because the source of your pain is deeper than those treatments can reach.
At Whiplash Pain Center, we utilize advanced light laser therapy to reach tissues that other modalities cannot.
How Laser Therapy Works for Pain
Laser technology works by emitting specific wavelengths of light that penetrate the skin to reach damaged muscles and joints. This process stimulates the mitochondria in your cells to produce more energy. When your cells have more energy, they can repair damage and clear out toxins much more efficiently.
The physical result is a significant increase in local blood flow and a decrease in painful swelling. By providing laser therapy for pain, we help jumpstart the healing process without the use of invasive procedures.
The Clinical Advantage of Laser Therapy
In a personal injury or workers’ compensation claim, documenting the presence and reduction of inflammation is essential. Laser therapy provides a clear clinical trail of your recovery. Our providers document the specific settings and physiological responses observed during your sessions, which provides objective evidence that your tissues are undergoing a measurable healing process.
Candidates for Laser Therapy
We provide laser therapy for a diverse range of individuals, including patients recovering from collision-related trauma, athletes looking to reduce injury downtime, or families managing chronic aches.
Conditions Treated by Laser Therapy:
- Soft tissue inflammation: Reducing deep swelling in muscles and ligaments.
- Acute joint pain: Alleviating discomfort in the shoulders, knees, or wrists.
- Cervical strain: Healing the delicate tissues of the neck following whiplash.
- Chronic neuropathy: Managing numbness or tingling caused by nerve irritation.
- Tendonitis: Decreasing pain and irritation in overworked tendons.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does laser therapy feel like?
Most patients feel little to no sensation during the procedure. Some patients report a mild, soothing warmth or a slight tingling sensation as blood flow increases to the targeted area.
How does laser therapy differ from ultrasound therapy?
While ultrasound therapy uses sound waves to create deep heat, laser therapy uses light energy to trigger a chemical reaction within the cells.
Is laser therapy the same as red light therapy?
No. While both use light from the red spectrum, they differ in intensity and purpose. Red light therapy is a superficial treatment often used for skin health or surface-level recovery. Laser therapy, however, uses a concentrated, coherent beam of light set to specific healing wavelengths. This targeted power allows the laser to penetrate deep into injured muscles, tendons, and ligaments to trigger a biological healing response at the cellular level.
How many laser therapy sessions are typically required to see results?
The number of sessions depends on whether the condition is acute or chronic, but patients often notice an immediate change in pain or mobility after their very first visit. For acute injuries like a recent sprain, patients often see significant improvement within 4 to 6 sessions. For chronic conditions such as long-term arthritis or nerve damage, a plan of 10 to 15 sessions is common. Because the effects of light therapy are cumulative, each session builds on the cellular progress of the last.
Are there any side effects or downtime after a session?
Laser therapy is non-invasive and has no known major side effects. Unlike surgical lasers or high-heat treatments, there is no damage to the skin or underlying tissue. Patients can return to their normal daily activities immediately following their appointment.