Mahaiwe Chiropractic, Health & Nutrition Services

FDA Approved Therapy

Dr. Nancy Bronstein has finished advanced training in the therapeutic use of low level lasers, and we can now offer that service to the Great Barrington community. Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) has been used worldwide for over 40 years to relieve pain, remove scars, heal wounds, and regenerate nerves.  On January 17^th, 2002, Erchonia, (the laser we use at Mahaiwe Chiropractic), was the first U.S. Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) company to receive FDA clearance through clinical trial.  The study took 100 patients complaining of Neck and Shoulder pain.  Half were treated with a useless red light (placebo group), similar to that on a computer mouse or grocery check-out, and the other half received LLLT.  The treatment group beat the placebo group by 66%!   That’s 66% faster relief and more complete relief, a remarkable margin.  Such a study is known as “double blind” research, and is the gold standard for measuring the validity of a therapy.  Similar studies have been passed by the FDA for Carpal Tunnel, wounds and scar tissue.  There are over 2000 published studies on LLLT reporting zero negative side effects.

“What does this thing do again?”

In a nutshell, Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) causes tissues to heal faster – muscle, skin and nerve – 66% faster according to the above FDA study.  And in some of our cases, when a condition does not completely respond to the chiropractic adjustment, it allows our patients to get more thorough results at different areas of injury. Specifically, LLLT works at the cell level.  Human cells produce a chemical known as ATP (adenosine tri-phosphate) to run the body and heal tissue.  All of our body’s activities result from the use of ATP, it’s like gasoline to a car.  LLLT stimulates a micro-structure within the cells called the mitochondria (nicknamed the “powerhouse” because it produces ATP) to produce slightly higher amounts of ATP.   Thus with more ATP at the cell level, tissues heal faster, and therefore relief comes quicker.

Conditions and Symptoms
As is true of many alternative therapies, you may receive alternative benefits to being treated, in addition to what you wanted fixed in the first place.  This is because the ATP being produced is “systemic”, meaning although we’re focusing the laser on a particular area, the ATP is ultimately being sent throughout your entire body.   The list of symptoms responding to LLLT is growing, and more valid research is being performed on a daily basis.

Number of Treatments Needed: 4-12 treatments are necessary to begin the healing process of tissue, although in some cases relief can begin immediately.  Maximum treatment would be 1x per day per area, minimum would be 1x per week to still see results.  Multiple areas of complaint may be treated.  This treatment cycle may need to be repeated, and eventually spread out.

See our Laser FAQ for more information.

Published Studies:

Low level laser therapy for treatment of primary and secondary Raynaud's phenomenon.
al-Awami M, Schillinger M, Maca T, Pollanz S, Minar E.
Vasa. 2004 Feb;33(1):25-9

Treatment of postmastectomy lymphedema with low-level laser therapy: a double blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Carati CJ, Anderson SN, Gannon BJ, Piller NB.
Cancer. 2003 Sep 15;98(6):1114-22. Erratum in: Cancer. 2003 Dec 15;98(12):2742

Treatment of chronic postmastectomy lymphedema with low level laser therapy: a 2.5 year follow-up.
Piller NB, Thelander A.
Lymphology. 1998 Jun;31(2):74-86

Effect of Low-Level Laser Irradiation on Bisphosphonate-Induced Osteonecrosis of the Jaws: Preliminary Results of a Prospective Study.
Scoletta M, Arduino PG, Reggio L, Dalmasso P, Mozzati M.
Photomed Laser Surg. 2009 Oct 1

Low Level Laser Treatment of Tendinopathy: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis.
Tumilty S, Munn J, McDonough S, Hurley DA, Basford JR, Baxter GD.
Photomed Laser Surg. 2009 Aug 26

The effect of low-level laser in knee osteoarthritis: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.
Hegedus B, Viharos L, Gervain M, Gálfi M.
Photomed Laser Surg. 2009 Aug;27(4):577-84.

Effectiveness of combined counseling and low-level laser stimulation in the treatment of disturbing chronic tinnitus.
Cuda D, De Caria A.
Int Tinnitus J. 2008;14(2):175-80.

The Effectiveness of Conservative Treatments of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Splinting, Ultrasound, and Low-Level Laser Therapies.
Dincer U, Cakar E, Kiralp MZ, Kilac H, Dursun H.
Photomed Laser Surg. 2009 Jan 26.

Low-level laser therapy and myofacial pain dysfunction syndrome: a randomized controlled clinical trial.
Shirani AM, Gutknecht N, Taghizadeh M, Mir M.
Lasers Med Sci. 2009 Sep;24(5):715-20

Effect of 655-nm low-level laser therapy on exercise-induced skeletal muscle fatigue in humans.
Leal Junior EC, Lopes-Martins RA, Dalan F, Ferrari M, Sbabo FM, Generosi RA, Baroni BM, Penna SC, Iversen VV, Bjordal JM.
Photomed Laser Surg. 2008 Oct;26(5):419-24.
PMID: 18817474

The effects of low level laser in clinical outcome and neurophysiological results of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Shooshtari SM, Badiee V, Taghizadeh SH, Nematollahi AH, Amanollahi AH, Grami MT.
Electromyogr Clin Neurophysiol. 2008 Jun-Jul;48(5):229-31

Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in Ménière's disease: a pilot study of 10 patients.
Teggi R, Bellini C, Fabiano B, Bussi M.
Photomed Laser Surg. 2008 Aug;26(4):349-53

Low-level laser therapy improves vision in patients with age-related macular degeneration.
Ivandic BT, Ivandic T.
Photomed Laser Surg. 2008 Jun;26(3):241-5.
PMID: 18588438

Low level laser therapy for healing acute and chronic wounds - the extendicare experience.
Saltmarche AE.
Int Wound J. 2008 Jun;5(2):351-60.

In chronic low back pain, low level laser therapy combined with exercise is more beneficial than exercise alone in the long term: a randomised trial.
Djavid GE, Mehrdad R, Ghasemi M, Hasan-Zadeh H, Sotoodeh-Manesh A, Pouryaghoub G.
Aust J Physiother. 2007;53(3):155-60. Erratum in: Aust J Physiother. 2007;53(4):216

Effect of low level laser therapy in rheumatoid arthritis patients with carpal tunnel syndrome.
Ekim A, Armagan O, Tascioglu F, Oner C, Colak M.
Swiss Med Wkly. 2007 Jun 16;137(23-24):347-52

Short-term efficacy of physical interventions in osteoarthritic knee pain. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised placebo-controlled trials.
Bjordal JM, Johnson MI, Lopes-Martins RA, Bogen B, Chow R, Ljunggren AE.
BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2007 Jun 22;8:51. Review.

Strategies for prevention and management of musculoskeletal conditions. Neck pain.
Jensen I, Harms-Ringdahl K.
Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2007 Feb;21(1):93-108. Review

Treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome by low-level laser versus open carpal tunnel release.
Elwakil TF, Elazzazi A, Shokeir H.
Lasers Med Sci. 2007 Nov;22(4):265-70. Epub 2007 Mar 3

Conservative management of mechanical neck disorders: a systematic review.
Gross AR, Goldsmith C, Hoving JL, Haines T, Peloso P, Aker P, Santaguida P, Myers C; Cervical Overview Group.
J Rheumatol. 2007 May;34(5):1083-102. Epub 2007 Jan 15.

Efficacy of low level laser therapy on neurosensory recovery after injury to the inferior alveolar nerve.
Ozen T, Orhan K, Gorur I, Ozturk A.
Head Face Med. 2006 Feb 15;2:3

Low-Level Laser Therapy Facilitates Superficial Wound Healing in Humans: A Triple-Blind, Sham-Controlled Study.
Hopkins JT, McLoda TA, Seegmiller JG, David Baxter G.
J Athl Train. 2004 Sep;39(3):223-229

Low level laser therapy in primary Raynaud's phenomenon--results of a placebo controlled, double blind intervention study.
Hirschl M, Katzenschlager R, Francesconi C, Kundi M.
J Rheumatol. 2004 Dec;31(12):2408-12

Low-level laser treatment can reduce edema in second degree ankle sprains.
Stergioulas A.
J Clin Laser Med Surg. 2004 Apr;22(2):125-8