How does laser therapy work?
Laser therapy works by creating a biological reaction using a photochemical event. This process is called photobiomodulation. The body’s healing process has four phases: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation and remodeling. After hemostasis occurs (the stop of blood flow immediately after cell injury), the blood begins to coagulate and the body starts to heal itself. Inflammation allows the body to eliminate damaged tissues after the initial cell injury. Laser therapy reduces the time of inflammation so the body can move on to the next healing phase. The proliferation process (enhancement of cells) has been demonstrated to accelerate after laser treatment. The laser light enables the body to stimulate cell proliferation, to repair cell mechanisms, regenerate and remodel healthy tissues.
During this accelerated healing process through laser therapy, fibroblasts (fibrous proteins found in connective tissue) are stimulated and produce collagen in the region of treatment. Collagen promotes angiogenesis (development of blood vessels) so the cell has more energy to replicate faster. Laser therapy also causes vasodilation, otherwise known as the expansion of capillaries, to further increase blood circulation.
Laser therapy is proven to aid neuropathic pain by stopping pain signals that are sent to the brain. This process assists in all tendon, ligament and muscle repair for an end result of a balanced treatment with benefits for everyone.