Low Level Laser Treatment – LLLT

Using THOR LX2 PBM Therapy Machines

Science Fact Not Science Fiction

Low Level Laser Treatment (LLLT) Is PBM Therapy!

Low Level Laser Treatment -LLLT , Low Level Laser Therapy -LLLT, or Cold Laser Treatments are routinely used to treat many patients at the PBM Therapy Clinic in Derby. Low Level Laser Treatment/Therapy (LLLT), Cold Laser Treatment, Red Laser Treatments are all now collectively known under one umbrella name of ‘PhotoBioModulation Therapy’ or simply PBM Therapy, PBM/PBMT for short.

So why did LLLT have a name change to PBM Therapy?

The change of name reflects the fact that Red Light generated Treatments (RLT) are no longer exclusively done via lasers. In the last few years there has been a revolution in LED electronics in terms of brightness (radiance) and reliability – just think about the thickness and quality of the LED TV’s now available compared to a few years ago!

World wide researchers have independently come to the same conclusions when testing the action of red LED’s vs red Lasers – they work in a very similar way with the same type of results. There are some subtle differences which you can read about below. This ground breaking research showing the effectiveness of LED’s is the driving force behind production of the revolutionary NovoTHOR Whole Body PBM Therapy Light Bed Pod.

Desk top LLLT machines with hand held lasers have been around quite a while but THOR now manufacture their LX2 PBM Therapy Machine with both Lasers and LED hand held probes. The desk top LX2 allows us to change many dose parameters – we can alternate between red and near infrared light, control the length of time the light beam is applied to a body part and also the frequency (Hz) of the red and NIR light.

Lasers vs LED PBM Therapy

Our THOR LX2 desk top PBM Therapy machines have both Lasers and LED probes which means that:

  • The Laser and LED probes have slightly different tissue penetration characteristics – even for the same light wavelength – so we can make a choice as to what is better for your problem(s)
  • We can decide which size of probe(s) LED or laser is better suited to your problem. Different sized probes can be selected for harder to reach tissues.
  • Lasers can penetrate the tissues more deeply and have a more focused beam. On the other hand our large LED probe can ‘bathe’ an entire area
  • Lasers are not safe to use near the eyes but we can use LED’s safely near the eyes and face e.g. for Macular Degeneration and face pain.
  • We can use the Desk Top unit in pregnancy (not on the low back or pelvis) when we are unable to use the NovoTHOR (simply because the risks for whole body PBM have not been established)
  • We can use the desk top LX2 safely away from the site of a cancer e.g. if you have prostate cancer and are having treatment for this but also have unrelated shoulder and neck pain. For the NovoTHOR – as it is a whole body treatment – it is best practice not to use whole body light therapy unless we have your oncologist’s permission

The variability of the LX2’s characteristics are very important because as new trial research is published we can refine our treatments to reflect new best evidence and best practice. All with the goal of getting you better, faster.

How Does LLLT (PBM Therapy) Work ?

There are THREE ways our THOR LX2 PBM Therapy machine works and we can switch instantly between the settings

1. Anti-inflammatory Effects

PBM Therapy Treats The Source Of Inflammation

THOR LX2 desk top PBM Therapy machine treats the source of inflammation by changing mitochondrial function  – watch the 3 videos on the link page and read how PBM Therapy does this.  The LX2 PBM Therapy unit is ideal to treat you in a specific body part to:

 2. Analgesia –  Pain Relief

PBM Therapy Treats The Source Of Pain

The LX2 PBM Therapy machine can be programmed to put nerves to sleep/in a dormant state, resulting in nerve pain blocking for up to 24 hrs. Repeated applications to the nerve and along its course over a number of treatments can help reduce pain for very long/extended periods by reducing in nerve sensitivity at the spinal cord level*.  PBM Therapy is good for pain relief and can help manage pain syndromes such as:

3. Muscle Spasm Reduction

PBM Therapy Treats Muscle Spasm

The 20,000+Hz setting has been scientifically proven to ‘switch off muscle spasm’ which is very useful if you are suffering with acute muscle spasms from a recent injury or muscle spasm/trigger points (knots on the muscles) that just does not want to ease/relax.  There is also early exciting evidence that PBM can help reduce muscle spasm muscle spasticity due to neurological conditions.

This can make the LX2 PBM Therapy machine very versatile and forms a very important part of our PBM Therapy Clinic.

*More technical explanation of the LX2 Analgesic effects – Perhaps the most important advantage of the desk top specific body part PBM Therapy machine laser and LED probe is the ability to alter the time and the frequency of the light waves from pulsed at 2.5 Hz (which is better for inflammation) to 20,000 Hz + which is better for acute and chronic nerve pain/sensitivity to create a ‘nerve blocking effect’.  Higher irradiance/energy treatments can induce an analgesic effect by disrupting fast axonal transport in small diameter fibres, in particular nociceptors.  This temporary (reversible) inhibition of A-delta and C-fibre transmission reduces tonic peripheral nociceptive afferent input and facilitates reorganisation of the modulation of synaptic connections.  Repeated treatments lead to a reduction in central sensitisation at the spinal cord.

Conditions the THOR Lx2 PBM Therapy Machine Treats

  • Arthritic pains – wear or tear  or inflammation in a single joint (e.g. one hip, knee or ankle)
  • Joint pains in a single joint (e.g. one hip, knee, ankle, elbow)
  • Nerve pain
  • Neuralgia
  • Sports injuries
  • Tendonitis
  • Frozen shoulder
  • Bursitis
  • Rotator Cuff Tendonitis
  • Tennis Elbow
  • Golfer’s elbow
  • Wrist pains
  • Sprained and swollen joints (e.g. ankles)
  • Plantar Fasciitis
  • ‘Pulled’ muscles
  • Torn ligaments
  • Skin – localised wound healing (e.g. after an operation)
  • Skin ulcers (e.g. diabetic)
  • Localised skin conditions e.g. red scaly and itchy area on 1 part of your body (e.g. elbow)
  • Eye problems – Dry Macular Degeneration (AMD)
LLLT Treatment PBM Therapy

What type of PBM Therapy is best for you? Get Impartial Advice From Us.  If you are unsure if your problem would be better treated by specific body part PBM Therapy or our NovoTHOR Whole Body PBM Therapy Light Bed Pod .  We advise the best course of action is to contact us on 01332 224829 and speak to one of our highly trained and experienced PBM therapists to discuss your problem in and any health issues greater detail.  This is much quicker than ping pong emails back and forth or chat

THOR LX2 Desk top PBM Therapy Vs NovoTHOR

PhotoBioModulation Therapy or simply PBM Therapy using our flagship NovoTHOR ® Whole Body PBM Therapy Light Bed is by far the most popular choice amongst our patients – why? Simply your whole body is surrounded by light it so can have both local and systemic effects on your health and wellbeing as the:

  • NovoTHOR Whole Body PBM Therapy bed is able to treat you head toe toe all in multiple areas at the same time
  • NovoTHOR PBM Therapy pod has the potential to affect the 200 different types of cells in the human body and as a result can potentially affect many different conditions and medical ailments all at the same time
  • With our PBM Light bed pod many patients experience additional benefits that they were not expecting e.g. improvement in pains and inflammation in multiple places, but you also get improved mood, skin or energy levels
NovoTHOR Whole Body PBM Therapy
LLLT Treatment PBM Therapy

Having said that above:

  • If you have a problem relating to a specific body part then LX2 PBM Therapy may well be the best course of action for your problem
  • There are some instances when the NovoTHOR might not be advised when we could safely use the hand held version to help you
  • The LX2 PBM Therapy Machine is definitely more suitable for some nerve and muscle problems than the NovoTHOR

Where Is The Evidence That PBM Therapy Works?

PBM Therapy Research

New research is published every month. It includes more trials and lab studies on established PBM Therapeutic effects as well as newly discovered effects – which could lead to potential new treatments for many debilitating medical conditions. It is an exciting time for PBM Therapy, our NovoTHOR® Whole body light bed pod and our specific body part LX2 PBM Therapy machines. Visit our PBM Therapy Research page to read more. Alternatively to review the current extensive world wide open access data base about PBM Therapy just tap/click this link PBM Therapy research.

PBM THERAPY

Science Fact

Not Science Fiction