Therapeutic laser for pain relief and tissue healing has become a ‘go-to’ alternative treatment modality for chronic pain syndromes in our chiropractic clinic in Lakewood.

In fact, it’s hard to imagine practicing without it. I’ve used it with great success for the treatment of acute injuries such as recently sprained ankles, as well as chronic conditions like low back disc herniations and carpal tunnel syndrome.

As a chiropractor and complimentary and alternative practitioner, I’m always to willing to research and? explore new natural healing methods. Nothing is stopping medical doctors from doing the same but it’s peculiar how many just don’t.

So, while most of mainstream medicine remains on the sidelines, there are some practitioners of sports medicine, who are highly motivated to find new ways to heal soft-tissue injuries by using such treatments as laser therapy.

Here’s an interesting story I found that flew under the radar regarding sports injuries and laser therapy…

In the week before the Super Bowl, Boston based registered nurse Ellen Spicuzza treated more than 10 Patriot players with laser therapy for soft tissue injuries.

“A couple of days prior to the Super Bowl weekend, I treated Patriot wide receiver David Givens, who had a ‘locked-up’ hamstring,” she said. She applied laser therapy over?the “belly” of his hamstring muscle for about five minutes, she said.

“The laser released it.” Spicuzza, an independent nurse/physical therapist in Boston, usually treats Patriot players’ injuries with medical massage. For the Super Bowl, she, for the first time, used low level laser therapy on the athletes’ most troublesome pain spots.

Spicuzza was skeptical before being introduced to laser therapy, “I am not into gimmicks,” she said.?“I didn’t think it would help.” She changed her mind after seeing how fast the laser therapy expedited healing of some of the players’ pain and soreness. “I don’t think the improved ?recoveries were a coincidence,” Spicuzza said. “It did help. I used it on a flared-up sciatic nerve, and the player had relief soon after treatment.”

What will really catch on, whether it’s in the NFL or the local PTA, is the fact that therapeutic laser not only relieves pain but speeds up healing time in a number of tough to treat conditions…naturally.

Cortisone Injections vs. Laser Therapy

Cortisone Injections (also know as Corticosteroid Injections or Cortisol Injections) can be effective at reducing pain associated with inflammation. Cortisone is an anti-inflammatory medication that mimics the effects of a naturally existing hormone in our bodies known as Cortisol. Cortisol is released by the body during times of emotional stress or injury. Most spine injections, back pain injections, and arthritis injections involve corticosteroids. Prolotherapy is a type of injection but does not use corticosteroids.

TOP 5 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

BEFORE GETTING CORTISONE INJECTIONS

#1: By Blocking the Inflammation You May Also Slow the Healing

Blocking inflammation often provides significant, albeit temporary, pain relief. However, inflammation is the primary healing mechanism of the body. Inhibiting the inflammatory process with cortisone injections or anti-inflammatory medications (Advil, Motrin, Ibuprofen, Aleve, etc.) can delay or even stop the healing process.

Delayed healing of injured tissue usually leads to the over-accumulation of scar tissue and weakening of the muscles, ligaments and tendons. This can make the injured tissue more susceptible to injury in the future.

Why Laser Therapy May Be an Great Alternative to Cortisone Injections…

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I’m a big fan of milking the magic out of everyday life- not really following the ’someday when things are just right’ philosophy.

It’s a beautiful winter day here in Colorado. In reality, it’s the only winter day.

I’ve had a number of my young adult patients inquire about being a chiropractor.

Of all the rewarding aspects of my job, when this happens I feel like I’ve made a difference in someone’s life.

Even if it’s just temporary and something important was etched in his mind. Over the years I’ve had a handful of patients who’ve had a great experience in the office then one thing leads to another and…

Aha! A moment of inspiration occurs. “I want to be a chiropractor!” “I was helped and I want to live a life helping others.”

The same thing happened to me. And many others in my profession for that matter. In fact, it seems ubiquitous.

It’s truly humbling and heartwarming when ‘the moment of truth’ happens. When you become inspired to do something that feels like a calling rather than a job. To see a boy become a man, a girl become a woman… of character and purpose.

Chiropractic is a tough profession in a lot of ways. You’re always the underdog because it’s not mainstream medicine. You’re usually perceived as not being a real doctor.

When a parent of a child says to me, “Hey, you got my kid feeling better, naturally, when no one else could, that’s real enough for me.”

How cool is that?

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How can I get quick back pain relief? The million dollar question.

Most of the time mother nature just doesn’t comply with that request.

But…she can be persuaded!

The art of being a sports chiropractor in Denver demands that I continue to strive for better ways to help people get back to their sport or everyday activities as soon as they safely can.

I want to introduce to you a great machine that you’ve probably never heard about or seen before that I use. Many times I’ve been able to find the right combination for people in pain to produce minor miracles.

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Who wouldn’t want quick pain relief?

Sometimes pain relief can come in different forms. I had a conversation lately that I think might be of help when you’ve put too much on your plate and you’re in pain.

Here’s the gist of the way the conversation went…

A mother of 3 young children had issues with intense upper back and neck pain, headaches and fatigue. She just plain felt that she was in her words, ‘getting old fast.’

Being pregnant, giving birth and all the post-partum duties of being a mom are very physically demanding. The adaptations and demands on the body during and after pregnancy can create changes which can lead to pain.

In this case it effected her not just physically, but hormonally and biochemically. Now throw on top of that a few other big life changes personally and professionally and you have a recipe for pain. The biggest point I helped her understand was this…

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