Laser Acupunture is available at The Sport and Performing Arts Injury Clinic.
Acupuncture is normally associated with the use of needles, not something that some people are happy about.
Pain free
Although needle acupuncture is relatively painless if performed correctly, the anxiety of having needles pushed into the skin has a very real and negative effect on some people.
Use of a low level Laser is an excellent way for children and those who don’t like needles to benefit from acupuncture.
The Sport and Performing Arts Injury clinic have state of the art Laser technology to allow us to perform non-invasive, safe acupuncture techniques without any pain or discomfort.
What is Laser acupuncture?
LASER stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation and the devices fall into two categories;
Class 3B therapeutic Laser and Class 4 surgical Laser.
We use a Class 3B Laser manufactured by EMS Physio which has a range of treatment heads, providing us with a wide range of options.
Tissue Healing
Our normal therapy sessions often involve the use of Laser to aid tissue healing and provide pain relief but Laser can also be used as a stand alone treatment in the same way as acupuncture.
Our single beam 905nm wavelength probe gives the optimum dosage to replicate as close as possible, the effects of needle acupuncture.
How does LASER treatment work?
Research has identifies three key effects of Low Level Laser treatment:
Healing/growth factor response – via increased ATP and protein synthesis, improved cell proliferation and change in cell membrane permeability to calcium up-take.
Pain Relief – Via increased endorphin and serotonin release and the suppression of nociceptor action.
Immune system support – via increasing lymphocyte activity and photomodulation of the blood.
What does treatment involve?
As with traditional acupuncture, the skin around the area being treated needs to be exposed so that it can be in contact with the treatment head.
The area may be swabbed with an antiseptic wipe and you will be asked to put on a pair of protective glasses to protect your eyes.
The treatment head is placed directly on or a few millimetres away from the area to be treated and we simply press a button on the treatment head to deliver the beam.
You feel only the light touch of the treatment head and hear the machine beeping when the beam is active. If the area is very tender or you have certain skin conditions, then we can even treat without the head in direct contact.
Is the radiation from Class 3B Laser dangerous?
Class 3B Laser can be very dangerous to the eye but we use protective Laser proof glasses during treatment.
The radiation emitted by class 3B Lasers is in the form of visible and invisible light at the infrared end of the spectrum. Laser radiation is generally not harmful because the body reacts to it much in the same way as ordinary light.
Laser radiation is the radiation of light and should not be confused with radiation from x-rays or radioactive substances.
Treating Children
Children are naturally cautious and any medical device can seem scary. We take the time to talk your child through the process and even allow them to hold and examine the treatment head without it being attached to the machine so that they can be sure there is nothing to cause discomfort.
Your child is actively encouraged to be involved in the treatment process throughout.
Young children are amused by the fact that the Laser glasses make everything in the room look “Shrek” green. This is often a good ice-breaker, adding a touch of fun to the treatment process.
How many treatments will I need?
This depends on the condition being treated but like traditional acupuncture; a course of several treatment sessions may be spread over a week or they can be as infrequent as once a month. A typical course of treatment would entail about 4 or 5 sessions.
What do we use Laser treatment for?
Therapeutic Laser has a wide range of applications and can be used to stimulate bone growth, aid the repair of tendons, ligament and muscle tissue, provide pain relief and help with many other conditions.
Arthritic conditions
Musculoskeletal injuries
Neuralgias
Tennis Elbow
Carpal Tunnel
Scars and wound healing
Sporting injuries
Is low level Laser safe if I have a metal implant?
Metals cannot be influenced by light radiation, it is therefore accepted as safe to treat patients with joint replacements, plates and pins as well as cardiac devices such as pacemakers and implanted defibrillators. However, we never treat target areas close to cardiac devices.
What we do not treat.
Our speciality lies in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions only.
We cannot provide Laser acupuncture for cessation of smoking, gynaecological, digestive or mental health conditions.
There are some conditions which mean we cannot perform Laser treatment:
Pregnancy – Treatment over the pregnant uterus could affect rapidly dividing cells
Tumours – Laser therapy affects tissue repair and could therefore encourage growth
Infections – Due the risk of spreading the infection
Radiotherapy – Sites that have received radiotherapy treatment during the last six months
Light Sensitivity – Those with conditions which make the skin sensitive to light.
Certain medications – Tetracyclines, Ciprofloxacin, Sulfonamides, Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Ketoprofen, Celecoxib, Frusemide, Bumetanide, Hydrochlorothiazide, Isotretinoin, Acitretin.
Thrombosis and impaired circulation.
Areas of impaired sensation.
Haemorrhage, due to the risk of increased bleeding, including recently controlled bleeding and haematoma.
Haemophilia
If you want to find out more about Laser Acupuncture, give us a call on 01228 586236 during office hours.