Making Light of Pain

By Dr. Dave Edenfield

Increasingly, people are looking for natural remedies to reduce pain. The number of OTC drugs such as Aleve, Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Excedrin and their generic counterparts continue to increase exponentially. But so does the frequency and usage of stronger and potentially more harmful prescription pain me

English: A bottle of Excedrin's migraine formula. Taken by myself today with a FinePix S700. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

dications.

In my previous blog “Making the Pain GoAway,” I pointed out how the allopathic medical community, already striving and over-stretched to meet the demands of an aging population that typically evinces more pain-related situations than its younger counterparts, has been increasingly prescribing pain-relief medications as a quick-fix remedy. 

Often times long-term use of these and similar prescription pain-relieving compounds can lead to chemical dependency, accidental overdose, rebound pain, unwanted side effects, and potentially dangerous interactions with other drugs (OTCs as well as prescribed medications). Even homoeopa

Pharmacy Rx symbol (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

thic remedies are not above suspicion.  After all, the liver does not make the distinction between over the counter, prescribed medication, supplements or food. All of those items get processed through the liver regardless of the labels we give them.

For example, one popular migraine preventative supplement contains, among one of its “all natural” ingredients, 5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan). One would assume this ingredient is innocuous because it’s part of the supplement’s holistic ingredients, right? Yet, this compound is contra-indicated if a doctor were to prescribe a low dose of the common pain reliever Diazepam, even a low, maintenance dose of two milligrams, three times per day.  

The sad fact is that until recently, there were few alternatives available to the public to attenuating pain other than taking these potentially dangerous drugs. However, advances in therapy devices such 

Dermatological laser (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

as the uses of ultrasound, muscle stimulation devices and even more recently, LASER therapy have radically changed the options that chiropractic patients can now rely on.

LASERs, while not uncommon in dermatology, cosmetic procedures, Lasik, varicose vein and even in more serious oncology and even endoscopic procedures, are yielding very promising results in the field of chiropractic and physical medicine. Today’s Lasers have been used successfully in a wide variety of surgical, therapeutic and cosmetic modalities.

How does therapeutic LASER therapy help chiropractors better manage or alleviate their patients’ pain?  Demonstrated tests and in-office results have shown that properly controlled and regular therapeutic LASER therapy:

pain management education (Photo credit: The Pointe at Kilpatrick)

Accelerates tissue repair and stimulates cell growth

Causes faster wound healing

Reduces fibrous (scar) tissue formation

Helps relieve pain (analgesic properties)

Improves vascular activity

Increases metabolic activity

Improves nerve function and conductivity

Improves immunoregulation

Improves outcome of trigger point therapy and acupuncture

Helps relieves acute and chronic pain

Improves flexibility

Stimulates the growth of healthy collagen and muscle tissue

Most LASER treatments only take a few minutes to perform. Both the patient and therapist don special eyeglasses during treatment (these, by the way, make you look ultra-cool).  The laser resembles a small microphone with a cable that is attaches to its hand-sized, black box power supply. The laser, which has controls to adjust its strength, is applied directly on the skin of the affected area by the chiropractor or his/her assistant.  Unlike acupuncture or the muscle-stimulating Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) device, the patient usually feels very little, if any, sensation when the laser treatment is applied.

Unlike surgical lasers that rely on heat, therapeutic lasers which rely on light produce no discomfort to the patient whatsoever.  The skilled use of laser therapy gives your chiropractor added tools to help reduce or even eliminate chronic back and neck pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive stress injuries, frozen shoulder, plantar fasciitis, post herpetic neuralgia, neuritis/neuralgia, disc herniations and other maladies. Many other conditions can benefit by the skilled application of therapeutic lasers.

Soft Tissue Injuries

Sprains and Strains

Muscular Spasms

Hematomas

Tendonitis/Tenosynovitis

Capsulitis/Bursitis

Myofascial Trigger

Acute/Chronic Joint Issues

Osteoarthritis

Ligament and Tendon Injuries

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Chrondomalacia Patella

Tempomandibular Joint (TMJ) pain

I recently treated an individual with therapeutic LASER therapy who, for years, had been experiencing persistent pain in the thenar eminence region of his right hand, the large muscle group at the base of his thumb. As a professional writer/editor and also semi-professional bassist (who employs several aggressive thumb-oriented strumming techniques), he obviously relied on the full, pain-free functioning of his hands, using them for his two main sources of livelihood. Over the years, over the counter medications, acupuncture, neuromuscular massage, analgesic ointments, natural compounds like bromine (derived from pineapples), wearing thumb braces, alternation of ice/heat etc., even chiropractic manipulation of the thumb joint, provided very little relief. Yet, after only one session with the LASER, he reported less pain and discomfort in that part of his hand. Thousands of studies have shaped the protocols used in laser therapy. The research supports that repeated LASER sessions will continue to improve his once seemingly chronic condition.

So, if you are searching for a way to make light of pain without the use of pharmaceuticals, I recommend you discuss therapeutic laser treatments with your chiropractor.  It could revolutionize the way you deal with discomfort.

Dr. Dave Edenfield is part of the team of doctors and therapists at http://www.lakewoodchiropracticjax.com/ who are dedicated to helping the public lead a healthy, pain-free life. 

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