Why do we recommend Aspen Laser Therapy?
Unlike injections and prescription medications which often only mask the symptoms, Laser Therapy doesn’t just mask the symptoms, it treats the source. Laser Therapy delivers light energy units, in the form of photons, to damaged cells. This helps aid the body’s own healing process to reduce inflammation, increase blood flow, stimulate tissue growth, and provide overall accelerated pain relief and healing.
- Fast & Effective Pain Relief
- Accelerated Tissue Repair
- Improved Nerve Function
- Surgery Free
- Non-Invasive & Painless
- No Side Effects
What to expect?
Drug free pain relief and healing is the goal for most of us, as is avoiding surgery. Now we can offer you a non-surgical option that truly has the power to significantly reduce or even eliminate your pain.
In most cases, just 5 to 10 treatments with this powerful laser is all it takes to realize life changing results!
From there, we reevaluate both your pain and comfort levels and outline a plan to maintain your improved level of health. After all, our goal is to make you feel better!
Who can benefit from Aspen laser therapy?
Aspen laser therapy may benefit people with painful, inflamed soft tissue and joint conditions, including neck and back pain, disc and nerve irritation, sprains and strains, tendon problems, and pain after accidents or sports injuries. It is often used alongside other care at Spine Health & Wellness to help reduce pain and support healing.
Laser therapy is also used for people who want a drug-free option or who cannot take certain pain medications. It is not a replacement for a diagnosis, so your provider examines the injured area first to make sure laser is a reasonable fit.
Research on therapeutic laser for musculoskeletal pain is still developing, and responses differ between people. The American College of Physicians 2017 guideline lists low-level laser therapy among non-drug options for chronic low back pain.
- Neck and back pain
- Sciatica and pinched nerve symptoms
- Sprains, strains and soft tissue injuries
- Tendon irritation in the shoulder, elbow, knee or heel
- Joint pain and stiffness
- Pain after car accidents and sports injuries
Who should not have laser therapy?
Laser therapy is generally avoided directly over the abdomen or lower back during pregnancy, over known or suspected cancer, over the eyes, over the thyroid gland, and over areas treated with certain light-sensitizing medications. People with active bleeding disorders may also need a different option. Your Spine Health & Wellness provider screens for these first.
Tell your provider about all medications and supplements, since some increase sensitivity to light, and about any tattoos or darker pigment over the treatment area, which can absorb more energy and may need adjusted settings.
If laser is not a good fit for you, other options such as soft tissue therapy, gentle mobilization, decompression or exercise can often address the same problem. Being ruled out for laser does not mean being ruled out for care.
What does a laser therapy session feel like?
A laser therapy session usually feels like gentle, soothing warmth over the treated area. The provider moves the handpiece over your skin, often with light massage-like contact, for a few minutes per area. You and the provider wear protective glasses. Most patients find it comfortable and can drive and return to normal activity right afterward.
The area should not feel hot or burning. If it does, say so right away and the provider will adjust the settings or move the handpiece faster.
Because sessions are short, laser therapy is often added to the same visit as manipulation, soft tissue therapy or exercise, rather than requiring a separate trip.
How should I prepare for a laser therapy appointment?
To prepare for laser therapy, wear clothing that lets the provider reach the treatment area easily, skip lotions, oils and sunscreen on that skin, and bring a list of your current medications and supplements. Tell the front desk if you are pregnant or have had cancer. Arriving a few minutes early leaves time for screening questions.
Some medications and supplements make skin more sensitive to light, including certain antibiotics, acne medications and St. John's wort. Your provider will review your list and may choose different settings or a different treatment.
After the session, most people go straight back to their day. Keep doing the exercises your provider gives you, since laser therapy is usually meant to make movement easier, not to replace it. Track how your pain and movement change over the next day or two and share that at your next visit, because it helps your provider fine-tune the dose.
Laser therapy is often scheduled more closely at the start of care, then spaced out as symptoms improve. Your provider reassesses at regular intervals to decide whether to continue, adjust or stop laser treatment.
- Wear clothing that gives easy access to the area
- Keep lotions, oils and sunscreen off the treated skin
- Bring a current list of medications and supplements
- Mention pregnancy, cancer history, implants and tattoos
- Plan to return to normal activity afterward
Is laser therapy safe?
Laser therapy is considered a low-risk treatment for most people when a trained provider screens for contraindications and uses proper eye protection. The most common side effect is temporary soreness or mild redness in the treated area. At Spine Health & Wellness, laser therapy is part of treatment protocols overseen by our medical director.
The main safety rule is protecting the eyes, which is why glasses are worn by everyone in the room during treatment. Your provider also checks skin sensation over the area, since reduced feeling can make it harder to notice too much warmth.
What is laser therapy combined with at Spine Health & Wellness?
At Spine Health & Wellness, laser therapy is most often combined with spinal manipulation, soft tissue therapy, spinal decompression and exercise rehabilitation. The laser is used to help calm pain and irritated tissue so that hands-on care and exercise can be done more comfortably, while the exercise builds strength that helps results last.
For a recent injury, laser may be used more heavily early in care when pain is highest. For long-standing pain, it is often one tool among several while your provider works on movement, strength and posture.
Patients recovering from car accidents and work injuries often have several sore areas at once, such as the neck, upper back and a shoulder. Laser can treat more than one area in a single visit, which helps when pain in several places is making exercise hard to start.
Coverage for laser therapy varies by insurance plan, and some plans do not cover it. Please call (972) 556-5667 to confirm your benefits. If your injury came from a car accident or a work injury, let us know, since that can change how care is covered.
- Spinal manipulation
- Soft tissue therapy and Active Release Technique
- Spinal decompression
- Exercise rehabilitation and physical therapy
- Home care exercises