PORTLAND, Ore., Feb. 16, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Portland chiropractor Dr. Samantha Stuart has recently introduced cold laser therapy as an injury treatment option for patients at her practice. According to Dr. Stuart, the class IV laser light used during treatment penetrates into injured tissues to accelerate the body's healing mechanisms on a cellular level. She says it is a painless, non-invasive technique that patients find comfortable and effective for everything from strains and sprains to chronic conditions like arthritis. Laser therapy has been championed recently by several professional and Olympic athletes and is becoming a common injury recovery technique in the world of sports medicine.
Dr. Stuart says many of her patients were excited to learn that she had added a Portland cold laser therapy machine to her practice. "More than 50 U.S. Olympic teams use cold lasers to keep their athletes in the game; but it isn't just for athletes. Laser treatment keeps exciting people because it really does help heal soft tissues injuries of the muscles, tendons, ligaments and even bones much faster, but without drugs or more invasive procedures. It's great to see my patients' injuries respond to treatments with our Portland cold laser therapy machine."
According to Dr. Stuart, the first step toward cold laser treatment is an extensive neurological, chiropractic and orthopedic exam that tests the function of muscles and soft tissues. "Injury or instability of ligaments, muscles and tendons can put joints at greater risk for injury and inflammation, so the first thing we need to do is this muscle testing to find the precise trouble spots to focus the laser on," explains Dr. Stuart.
After diagnosis, Dr. Stuart runs the infrared laser probe over the affected area for 30-60 seconds. She says patients do not feel any heat or discomfort from the laser, but that the specific light wavelength penetrates the tissues and stimulates regeneration and spurs better metabolism and circulation in damaged cells.
Dr. Stuart explains that after the first session, she retests the affected muscles to see if there has been any change. "Most of my patients notice a positive change right after the first session, which is great. The laser also stimulates endorphin release, which is a natural painkiller in the body. For lasting healing of the damaged tissues, however, we usually need to schedule anywhere from 10-20 repeat laser therapy sessions. It simply depends on what the individual patient needs."
Dr. Stuart says that her Portland cold laser therapy machine has been a game-changer for several patients already: "Patients are getting back to normal activity faster and feeling stronger after a series of laser treatments. That extra time enjoying life without pain is priceless."
Dr. Samantha Stuart is Portland chiropractor who offers spinal adjustments, therapeutic exercise programs, nutritional counseling, laser therapy and massage therapy. To learn more, visit http://portlandorchiro.com.