What are the Benefits of Laser Therapy?
Laser therapy is one of the leading treatments for plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, neuropathy, wound care, and sports injuries. Painless and safe, you can visit Midwest Podiatry for your laser therapy and experience faster healing and symptom reduction than surgical procedures.
What is Laser Therapy?
Laser therapy is a non-invasive treatment option for a wide range of conditions. It can accelerate the recovery of sprains or strains, and even be used to reduce general pain from inflammation.
There are two wavelengths used during a treatment session:
Wavelength 1: A continuous 808-nanometer laser that reduces swelling and inflammation.
Wavelength 2: A 905-nanometer laser that penetrates deep into the skin to ease nerve pain and provide deeper restoration and pain relief.
With a 90% efficacy rate in most cases, laser therapy is quickly becoming a favorite alternative to medications for patients and doctors alike.
Is Laser Therapy Safe?
Laser therapy is one of the safest and most effective non-invasive treatment options available. It promotes rapid healing of cells, tendons, and tissues, with up to 30% faster recovery than surgical options.
This form of therapy is completely painless with no known side effects. It is also non-habit-forming, unlike some prescription medications.
Laser therapy also poses none of the typical side effects of prescription or over-the-counter medications.
For patients with ongoing pain from chronic conditions, laser therapy offers an effective alternative to injections and prescription medications.
What are the Benefits of MLS Laser Therapy?
Versatile and safe for everyone, laser therapy is a highly adaptable approach to pain management and injury recovery. This FDA-approved treatment was developed over three decades of research.
Below are a few of the reasons why we recommend it to our patients at Midwest Podiatry.
Painless Treatment with No Downtime
You can get your laser therapy session in under 30 minutes, and resume your daily activities with no interruptions. Although it’s incredibly powerful, laser therapy causes no pain or discomfort whatsoever. There is no downtime associated with laser treatment.
Some patients experience a sensation on their skin at the start of treatment, but no one has any pain during or after their procedure. There are no special instructions or limitations post-treatment, either.
Accelerated Cellular Growth and Tissue Repair
Laser therapy promotes rapid healing and tissue repair in several conditions, including:
- Achilles tendinitis
- Arthritis
- Plantar fasciitis
- Neuropathy
- Ligament and tendon injuries
- Sports injuries
- Foot and ankle sprains and strains
- Muscle injuries
- Wounds and post-surgical incisions
- Tendonitis
Laser therapy helps you get better faster by stimulating cellular growth and targeting the soft tissues. We fine-tune the laser to address your needs with specific wavelengths, pulses, and durations.
As the laser penetrates the skin and reaches cells, they are able to absorb nutrients faster and eliminate waste more quickly. Damaged cells that would normally take a long time to heal are given a much-needed post to repair themselves more quickly.
Improved Immune Function
The laser treatment stimulates your body’s natural immune response. This promotes lymphatic drainage, healing, and faster recovery. Triggering the immune response promotes more widespread, natural healing.
An increase in immunoglobulins and lymphocytes leads to greater healing, all while rapidly reducing swelling, inflammation, and discomfort.
Improved Vascular Activity
During your laser therapy session, the laser pulses will promote blood circulation. Moving blood to the affected areas also increases oxygen levels. Combined, better circulation and oxygen promote faster healing and symptom recovery.
In many patients, poor circulation results in greater inflammation, pain, and reduced mobility. Laser therapy directs light energy into your cells, which helps form new capillaries in damaged tissues, tendons, and ligaments.
Improving blood flow to any area naturally improves its recovery and healing, while also reducing painful symptoms.
Faster Healing After Surgery
After a surgical procedure, laser therapy can provide both pain relief and accelerated recovery. The laser provides an analgesic effect that blocks nerve cells from sending pain signals to the brain, similar to over-the-counter pain relievers like Tylenol and Ibuprofen.
As your cells absorb the photon energy from the laser, they are stimulated and begin to grow and repair damaged tissues and nerves more quickly. Laser therapy can also help reduce the appearance of scar tissue in patients recovering from surgical procedures.
Avoid Potentially Addicting Medications
While highly effective, laser therapy is non-habit-forming. With an 85% – 90% efficacy rate in relieving pain and inflammation, laser treatment is a fantastic alternative to pain medication.
Opting for laser therapy over medication also eliminates many of the side effects associated with prescription pain relievers, which include digestive issues and the need to wean off of them to avoid possible withdrawal symptoms.
What can I Expect from Laser Therapy Sessions?
When you arrive for your session, we’ll prep the laser for you, and welcome you to sit or lie down for your treatment.
The session is virtually painless and only lasts around 15 minutes. Our laser technician will program the laser head to target areas according to your treatment plan. Each patient’s plan includes specific wavelength measurements and durations to promote the greatest level of healing and pain relief.
After the session is over, you can leave right away and get back to your usual daily activities. Many acute conditions only require 1 or 2 sessions, but people with long-term conditions can talk about making laser therapy a more ongoing part of their pain management plan.
Call Midwest Podiatry Centers to Find Out How Laser Therapy can Help You!
If you would like to know more about laser therapy, we’re here to answer all your questions. Reach out to us at (612) 788-8778, or send us a message through our online form.