Cold Laser/Low-Level Laser Therapy
Healing Energy
Two thousand years of medicine and twenty-first century photonics arrived at the same conclusion: the body heals through energy.
You might remember from biology class that “the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell.” Well, research is showing that the mitochondria is really more like the “information processor” of the cell. It has a wide variety of receptors that sense what’s going on in the cell: how healthy it is, how much energy it needs, etc. And then it actually tells other parts of the cell what to do with that information.
If the cell needs to die, the mitochondria triggers cell death.
The mitochondria can tell the nucleus of the cell to turn on or off genes.
It produces energy that the cell uses to repair itself.
The mitochondria is arguably the most important part of your body to keep healthy because: healthy cells → healthy tissues → healthy organs → healthy body.
Want to know something cool? Research is showing how acupuncture and ancient Chinese medicine have been promoting mitochondrial health for thousands of years. Here’s a study on cardiovascular function, a review on ischemic strokes, a discussion on tumors, and one on diabetic neuropathy.
Where does low-level laser therapy fit into all this?
Low-level laser therapy (LLLT), also known as cold therapy or “photobiomodulation,” does the same thing that acupuncture and Chinese herbal formulas do: restore mitochondrial function. Only lasers do it much faster.
When the photons from the laser hit your body, they go deep: directly into the cells and into the mitochondria themselves. They clear away stuck molecules that might have been jamming up the works (like nitric oxide) and deliver packets of pure energy to the malnourished mitochondria for it to use to repair the cell.
As that cell repairs, it sends signals to the rest of the body: Healing is happening! Alert! Energy is available!
Other cells respond, start to repair, and you feel better.
Practically, what can LLLT treat?
Just like acupuncture, almost anything. If a mitochondria is involved in the problem, LLLT can be part of the solution. It is true, though, that LLLT (and acupuncture!) is better at treating some things than others, generally.
At Bridges, we use LLLT to treat:
- Anything inflammatory
- Immune dysregulation (both ways: autoimmune conditions and immune insufficiency)
- Pain, whether acute or chronic
- Pre- and post-surgery (it’s excellent for wound-healing!)
- Neurological concerns (anything from Alzheimer’s to depression, anxiety to Parkinson’s, and we even help high-level professionals with mindset work!)
- Balance issues (whether vestibular, ocular, proprioceptive, or something else)
- Physical organ dysfunction like liver cirrhosis, asthma, endometriosis, or interstitial cystitis
- Weight loss and getting off of GLP-1s
- Blood sugar imbalances, diabetes, and resulting peripheral neuropathy
… and so much more!
Do I have to do this with acupuncture?
Nope! While the combination of laser, acupuncture, and herbs is the most effective, you can certainly do laser-only treatments.
