Mr. Miyagi ran onto the matt, and slapped his magical hands together with a look of grim determination. He looked Daniel-San right in the eyes, massaged his horribly injured leg, and miraculously, the Karate Kid (Daniel-san) was ready to beat down the Cobra Kai. In 1984, there may not have many options other than Mr. Miyagi in treating deep tissue damage, but times have changed. Nowadays, low level laser therapy has made quick healing a more plausible reality.
Low level laser therapy, otherwise known as cold laser therapy, was approved by the FDA in 2002, for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. Since then the use has been expanded to other repetitive stress injuries and soft tissue damage. Recently, 10 New England Patriots used the laser to treat minor problems the week before the Super Bowl, according to The Washington Post.
While the lasers have recently begun to catch on in the U.S., they have been in use internationally for over ten years for everything from soft tissue damage to wound healing to chronic joint problems. Many physicians and healers across the world swear by its therapeutic value, but many U.S. physicians are hesitant to use the lasers due to the unconfirmed benefits and because many insurance companies are unwilling to reimburse physicians for using the unproven technology.
But it's not as though doctors are all about making a quick buck, the way that the laser works is still under debate. The MicroLight Corporation, the U.S.'s largest manufacturer of cold lasers, states in its website that its ML830 laser uses a system of "biostimulation."The cold laser, when set at a wavelength of approximately 830 nm and a power between 60-90mW, has low absorption in human tissue and photons penetrates tissue before being absorbed by the damaged organelles. The photons provide energy to the organelles and cause them to be more active. Thus, the cellular metabolism is increased, which increases cell repair, and causes the tissue to heal more quickly.
By an unexplained mechanism, the MicroLight Corporation claims that the laser also reduces tissue edema by activating the lymphatic system of the body to drain the extraneous fluid. The fact that it is a cold laser is significant because it does not induce the same stress and damage to overlying tissues that traditional thermal lasers may cause.
According to MicroLight, General Motors is one of the largest proponents of the laser because Carpal Tunnel Syndrome costs the company around $250 million annually in worker healthcare, rehabilitation, and compensation costs. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a type of repetitive stress injury that affects a person's wrists and causes inflammation of the nerves and tendons that travel to the hand through a thin passageway called the Carpal Tunnel. It is a painful and potentially debilitating condition that can occur from overuse through such activities as excessive typing and taking too many notes in class. Let this be a warning to professors!
Treatment for Carpal Tunnel ranges from over the counter anti-inflammatory medication to surgery which can cost thousands of dollars.Dr. Wayne Goode, who participated in studies for General Motors, reported to The Washington Post that the laser was 70% effective in getting people who had Carpal Tunnel Syndrome back to work. The laser therapy which costs $25-50 a treatment for 10-15 treatments is thousands less per person than surgery, which would save General Motors millions of dollars.Music to GM's ears.
But don't run off and pick up that X-Box controller just yet, my video-game addicted friends. Cold laser therapy may not be the cure-all for problems like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Thus far, the studies that have been done on the lasers are conflicting and inconclusive. For example, the Cochrane Review, written in January 2003 by an international group that reviews and evaluates clinical research, showed that the effectiveness on osteoarthritis was not proven and needed more research.
Although promising, cold laser therapy seems to be in need of more testing.While the risks do not seem to be too great, the benefits may not be worth the investment of hundreds of dollars for treatment.If only we could discover the secret of Mr.Miyagi's healing touch, then there would be no need for any lasers, surgery, suffering, or perhaps even violence.Indeed, the world would be a better place.
Omid Fatemi is a biweekly columnist. He can be reached at ofatemi@cavalierdaily.com
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