June 18, 2020

Laser Therapy Uses

Articles by Dr. Erdman are for informational purposes, and are not to be taken as specific medical advice.


In my practice, I utilize many types of treatments to achieve the best possible outcome for any particular condition. Obviously adjusting the spine and many other affected joints is our primary treatment. Exercises, stretches and use of rehabilitation protocols are also an integral part of getting sick people well.

Today, I want to introduce you to my favorite modality in the quest for healing at the cellular level, Laser Therapy. LASER stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. It is simply another form of energy that can be used to create physiologic changes to tissue. Albert Einstein provided the basic science and theory for laser.


We’ve all heard of lasers being used for things like surgery, eye repair, teeth whitening, steel cutting, and military weapons.  But how many of you have heard of healing lasers which treat musculoskeletal conditions as well as post-surgical wounds and pain, skin conditions, or strains and sprains?

Technically, these healing lasers are cleared by the FDA for pain control.  But, from the research, we know they can do more than control pain.  They have many effects on the cellular level which can improve conditions for healing of many problems.

The laser we use creates a healing beam of laser energy by using electricity. The beam is in the infrared spectrum at about 980 nm and is not visible to our eyes. Our high dose, high power laser can penetrate into the body about 3 inches below the skin.

It works by the light being absorbed through chromophores in each cell, which then raises energy production and creates increased white blood cells and promotes healing. In the area of treatment the laser will increase metabolic activity which helps pull healthy nutrients to damaged areas. More oxygen flows and more blood pours through, creating a more optimal healing environment.

High dose laser therapy will accelerate your body to heal up to 300 times faster than normal. This is why it works on most anything that needs healing.

All types of inflammation respond well to laser treatment. The conditions that end in –itis, for example; bursitis, myositis, tendonitis, arthritis, fasciitis etc. all respond to laser treatment.
I have even used laser to treat the pain that can remain after an outbreak of shingles.  One lady had pain in the area for over a year and recovered completely in just a few treatments of laser.  

Any injury recovery can be enhanced by using the laser, whether it’s a job, auto or personal injury. I’ve even used it to speed the healing of broken bones. When my children were injured in sports, the laser was awesome at speeding up their healing and getting them back in the game.

The pain relief from using the laser is incredible. With my newest high power laser, even neuropathies can be helped in some cases, especially when lack of blood flow is the culprit.

Typical treatment times are 5 to 15 minutes. The longer the condition has been nagging you, the more times it will take to see a positive response. Acute conditions like ankle and knee sprains see immediate relief of some pain and swelling on the first treatment. Acute injuries respond great in just 6 to 10 treatments. The smaller the injury area, the less visits needed to show a good response.

Chronic knee pains with arthritis or old meniscal tears see some pain relief within 1-5 treatments, with better results in the 10 to 20 treatment range. Maintenance treatments should be scheduled at the rate of 1 to 2 per month for the chronic conditions, to keep the pain in check.

I have treated many patients post operatory. This speeds healing of deep and superficial areas. Laser directly after knee replacement works wonders. It complements rehab, lessens pain levels and allows you to progress to normal more quickly. I’ve seen great outcomes many times.

Laser therapy is not paid by any insurance I know of at this time, but it is money well spent when you need healing and pain relief quickly. Our prices are reasonable and affordable for such cutting-edge technology. Most clinics charge $30 to $90 per treatment. We are at the low end of that range.

Call us to see how laser can help heal your painful areas.