Why Erchonia
One of the leaders and pioneers of laser technology being used in the U.S. They were also the first to gain FDA approval for their instruments. In 2002, Erchonia Lasers were the first low level laser therapy (LLLT) company to receive FDA clearance through clinical trial.
The study took 100 patients complaining of neck and shoulder pain. Half were treated with the placebo red light and the other half received the LLLT. The treatment group beat the placebo group by 60% with respect to faster relief and more complete relief. Studies have to continued to be positive for the carpal tunnel, plantar fascitis and wound and scar tissue repair.
For more information, you can visit their website – erchonia.com
Benefits & Conditions Treated
LLLT has been shown to enhance tissue recovery and speed up injury healing time. LLLT has been successfully used to heal many conditions such as acute and chronic pain reduction, repetitive use disorders like carpal tunnel syndrome, soft tissue strains and sprains, inflammation reduction, enhanced tissue wound healing and cell regeneration. In addition, the treatment is pain free and there is no known side effects.
How Does LLLT Work
In more simple terms and to begin with, visible light is directed to an area on the body. The light energy passes through the skin and is received within the cell membrane by special photo receptors. The increase in intra-celluar engergy results in physiological changes and affects several biological processes. The overall affects are enhanced tissue regeneration with decreased pain and inflammation.
“A unique aspect of lasers is that they preferentially affect damaged cells, or cells that are struggling to find function and need energy the most. Lasers have a good effect where they are most needed.”
-The Brains Way of Healing by Norman Doidge, MD 2015
One of the biological process that is enhanced is our ATP production in the mitochondria, which provides more energy substrate for cellular healing and tissue recovery. The mechanism that explains most of the effects seen clinically is the cytochrome c-oxidase mechanism, which can be summarized as follows.
When we breath in oxygen, our red blood cells deliver that oxygen to every cell of our body. Similarly, food we eat is broken down into glucose, fats, and glycogen where the glucoses is taken to every cell of our body as well. Inside the cell, the glucose is broken down into ATP and pyruvate. These byproducts, when combined with oxygen in the electron transport chain creates hydrogen ions that drive ATP synthase. This process works very well in a healthy individual. However, when we get sick, injured, stressed, or old, the mitochondria begins to make excessive amounts of nitric oxide. When excessive nitric oxide is produced, excessive free radicals are also produced. In addition to the free radicals, our electron transport chain becomes sluggish and backed up which leads to further oxidation. The free radicals and the increased oxidation leads to inflammation and cell death. Inside the mitochondria also begins to dysfunction, which may be a foundational problem in most disease.
The laser light at specific wavelengths seems to flush out the nitric oxide so that ATP production becomes normal again. We also stop making too many of the reactive oxygen species that lead to inflammation and cell death.