A lot of people suffering from joint pains are keenly awaiting the prognosis of laser for arthritis. Laser therapy has already spread its tentacles in numerous fields of surgical treatment with a great deal of success. People have now come to accept laser therapy as a dependable procedure for treating certain skin disorders, notwithstanding certain drawbacks. Laser’s contribution in cosmetic surgery is all too well known. Moreover, laser therapy has also made significant inroads into dentistry, eye surgery, and pediatrics.
So what is the outlook of laser in the field of arthritis treatment? Unfortunately, much information is not forthcoming in this regard even though there are reports that low-level laser therapy has provided relief to sufferers of joint pains. Here is an overview of the effects of Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) on patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
LLLT Overview
Let us first try to understand how laser works as a therapeutic tool.
Laser therapy, also called photobiomodulation, uses specific wavelengths of light for therapeutic effect. The reported benefits include faster healing time, pain reduction, reduced swelling, and increased circulation.
Laser for arthritis was introduced more than ten years ago for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OS) and rheumatoid arthritis (RS). A number of trials were conducted on volunteers diagnosed with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. The outcome of the trials was assessed thoroughly and the following findings were reported-
• Low Level Laser Therapy could be effective for short-term relief for pain and morning stiffness for rheumatoid arthritis as no bad side effects were observed.
• For osteoarthritis, the results were conflicting and inconclusive.
The specialists also made the following conclusions-
• The LLLT device and the application techniques should be consistent.
• Despite many trials and applications, data on four critical parameters are inadequate. They are wavelength, treatment duration, dosage, and site of application.
Yet, there appears to be significant advocates who consider laser for arthritis a sound therapy based on the following counts:-
• Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs (NSAID), presently the most preferred treatment for arthritis, has its fair share of side effects. Vioxx and Celebrex have been in the news for their potential side effects. LLLT is seen as potentially safe and twice as effective.
• Some countries like Norway have already adopted laser therapy for knee osteoarthritis.
Conclusion
Modern medical science is not ignoring the fact that laser therapy is now a revolutionary non-invasive tool that can be used to fight many common disorders. Laser for arthritis may very well prove to be a boon to fight painful conditions like arthritis, back pain, carpel tunnel syndrome, knee pain, shoulder injuries, and other sports injuries.