Laser treatment of joints, contraindications and side effects

Physiotherapy is used in recovery and rehabilitation as early as possible. It can be used in various areas of modern medicine and at absolutely any stage of the disease. For neurological diseases, physiotherapeutic factors can be used as monotherapy from the earliest type of treatment, and at a time when complete rehabilitation is taking place. Physiotherapy is used to treat a wide variety of organs of the human body, and is also used for prevention.

At the Yusupov Hospital there are different methods of physiotherapy: laser therapy, electrotherapy, magnetic, ultrasound, pressotherapy, shock wave, and others. Treatment and prevention with laser physiotherapy is considered very effective.

Features of laser joint treatment

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Human joints are joints in the skeleton that are formed from bone and cartilage tissue. The cavity between them is filled with synovial fluid. The joint itself is located in the so-called articular capsule, which is surrounded by vessels, ligaments, muscles and nerve fibers. All these physiological elements protect, nourish, strengthen, and give sensitivity to the joints.

Human joints are susceptible to injury and disease. Main reasons:

excess weight;
the impact of severe chronic diseases;
insufficiently active lifestyle;
presence of bad habits (smoking, drinking alcohol);
hereditary predisposition to joint pathologies;
excessive physical stress on the body.

As a result of the progression of diseases in the joint area, the cartilage tissue gradually becomes thinner. Very often, inflammatory processes lead to disruption of tissue nutrition, spasms, pain and gradual destruction of bone structures.

In such a condition, degenerative changes in the joint develop, which can lead not only to loss of physical capabilities: even disability is not excluded. You should be especially attentive to joint pathologies and, at the first symptoms of the inflammatory process, contact an experienced doctor (therapist, surgeon, orthopedist, traumatologist).

Laser treatment can be practiced both as primary therapy and in conjunction with other techniques. The protective effect is to reduce the risk of complications in the patient after taking corticosteroids. This type of treatment is considered very popular in the field of pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.

Is laser treatment for arthrosis effective?

Laser treatment of the knee joint is part of the entire range of necessary procedures. Most often, this type of therapy is combined with exercise therapy, manual therapy, massage, and the use of orthopedic braces.

Prevention

Prevention of osteoarthritis is divided into primary and secondary.
Primary prevention should begin in childhood and consist of monitoring children’s posture, correct posture at a desk to avoid the development of scoliosis, correcting flat feet, maintaining normal weight (in accordance with age and height), and proper organization of physical activity on a growing body.

Secondary prevention consists of following the recommendations of specialists on physical activity and the use of basic and preventive treatment. Secondary prevention measures consist of timely detection of persons suffering from minimal signs of incipient osteoarthritis, compliance with measures that prevent the recurrence of reactive synovitis - measured walking, light work, walking with support and other activities that unload the joints, as well as the constant use of basic therapy for osteoarthritis and general strengthening measures , leading to improved general blood circulation and improved metabolism.

Therapeutic effect of laser therapy

Laser treatment of joints, contraindications to which include all types of blood diseases, when carried out correctly, can provide the following therapeutic effects:

Improvement of metabolic processes in tissue cells several times.
Acceleration of chemical reactions (the laser acts as a conductor when using other methods of therapy).
Effectively reduces pain and swelling of the affected joint.
Elimination of acute inflammatory process with progression of pathologies.
The body produces antibodies to suppress allergic reactions and inflammatory foci.
Accelerating the process of tissue restoration after damage.
Improving general blood supply.
Impact on the formation of new blood vessels.
Pronounced immunomodulatory effect on the body as a whole.
Accelerating the process of tissue repair and regeneration.

A laser for treating joints at home or in a hospital can provide the following additional therapeutic effects:

Improving the activity of cellular structures.
Stabilization of the protein production process.
Acceleration of blood flow.
Relieving spasm in blood vessels and tension in muscle fibers.
Improving general functions in the musculoskeletal system.
Reducing blood viscosity (antithrombolytic effect).
Reducing blood cholesterol levels.
Resorption of salt deposits.
Reducing the negative impact of medications taken.
Increased need for glucose.

What it is?

Laser physiotherapy is one of the types of physiotherapy. It is also the use of radiation using a laser for the purpose of treatment for both preventive and rehabilitation purposes. One type of this treatment method is phototherapy, that is, phototherapy. It is based on the exploitation of the physical and chemical properties of the laser. The basis of the method is special radiation with high biological activity. This type of laser affects the capillaries, expands them, nourishes all tissues, and improves blood microcirculation. These processes together accelerate healing in all affected areas. Laser therapy has a beneficial effect on the entire immune system of the human body, and also reduces cholesterol levels, has an antiviral and antimicrobial, anti-allergenic effect, enhances lymphatic drainage and reduces blood viscosity. Laser physiotherapy helps reduce the time allocated for treatment and also prevents the development of an acute process that could become chronic. The most important advantage of a laser is that it can help you get good results while taking a minimum of medications.

The laser physiotherapy procedure is carried out in a comfortable position. The area of the body that will be treated with the laser is exposed. When exposed to a laser, a person can feel a pleasant warmth.

Indications for laser treatment

Laser treatment can be used to identify the following pathologies of the musculoskeletal system:

Arthritis. Laser therapy will be effective for various forms of the disease (rheumatoid, gouty, post-traumatic, etc.).
Arthrosis . Laser treatment can be prescribed for both primary and secondary arthrosis of varying degrees of neglect and etiology.

Laser treatment is effective in treating joint diseases and other pathologies. It is allowed to be used as an adjuvant therapy for trophic ulcers, poor gastrointestinal tract function, and pathologies of the respiratory and nervous systems.

Laser therapy methods

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Three methods of laser treatment of pathologies:

Method name	Principle of procedure	Main results
Contact compression treatment	The laser conductor will be pressed against the affected area	Relieving swelling, pain, inflammation
Contact method	Light touch of LEDs to the inflamed area	Improving blood circulation, relieving pain
Remote influence method	The beam will affect the human body at a certain distance	Tissue repair

The choice of a specific method for laser therapy is always selected by the attending physician for each patient individually. The specialist must take into account the etiology of the person’s disease, its neglect, and the presence of complications.

First improvements

After the first laser therapy session, many patients worry that the treatment method does not work for them. And without reason: an introductory course of laser therapy is simply not able to immediately bring the expected improvements.

In order to experience the positive dynamics of the disease, the patient is recommended to undergo a full course of laser therapy or at least 7-10 sessions.

25% of patients experience headaches and slight dizziness after laser treatment. This is due to the activation of metabolic processes, which will subsequently help remove toxic substances from the body. These signs after therapy are considered relatively normal. If they occur frequently, the patient should be observed by a therapist to monitor his condition.

You can completely stabilize your well-being and eliminate the acute inflammatory process in the diseased joint no earlier than five months later, when all stages of treatment have been completed.

Knee arthritis: causes, symptoms, effective treatment

Devices used

Each individual joint disease requires the use of different laser therapy devices. The most effective among them:

The scanning beam is actively used to treat arthrosis. Radiation is applied to the affected area according to specially designated coordinates.
Laser magnetic therapy is used for advanced forms of arthrosis and arthritis. The radiation depth reaches 90 mm.
The neon type of laser is used for acute periarthritis. The beam has a pronounced electromagnetic effect.

Some patients fear pain and discomfort during laser treatment. There is no need to be afraid of the procedure, since it is completely painless: the patient only feels the effect of heat on the painful area.

Principles of therapy

Principles of laser therapy for the treatment of joints:

The period of exposure to one point should not be longer than seven minutes.
The entire session can last up to thirty minutes.
The minimum course of treatment is ten sessions.
To prevent re-exacerbation of the disease, the course of laser treatment should be repeated after six months.
To eliminate inflammation in joint tissues, you need to use exclusively infrared rays.
It is better to conduct these sessions in the first half of the day, when the patient’s central nervous system is more active.
When the disease becomes chronic, exposure to rays must be increased.

Who is prohibited from laser treatment?

Not everyone will be able to treat joints with laser: this method of therapy has serious contraindications.

It is prohibited to practice laser treatment for the following diseases:

decompensated type of diabetes mellitus;
the presence of large birthmarks in the required area for exposure to the beam;
serious disorders in the thyroid gland;
oncological pathologies;
diseases of the circulatory system;
a person's tendency to bleed;
acute angina and other heart diseases.

Additional contraindications for which laser therapy is undesirable:

pregnancy period;
anemia;
diseases of the central nervous system, in which a person cannot calmly withstand the course of the session;
individual intolerance to exposure to rays;
exacerbation of severe chronic diseases.

Treatment results

After completing a full course of laser therapy, you can achieve the following treatment results:

Elimination of pain.
Removing the inflammatory process.
Improving blood circulation.
Restoration of joint articulation at the cellular level.
Elimination of muscle spasm.
Relief of degenerative processes that destroy joint tissue.

Laser treatment can be used only after a doctor’s prescription. Self-medication is strictly prohibited, since these actions can only worsen a person’s condition.

Advantages of laser therapy

In medicine, lasers are used in almost all areas: from surgery (for the treatment of fractures, burns, thrombophlebitis) to sports rehabilitation (for recovery from overload and injury) and cosmetology (for laser skin resurfacing procedures). It is difficult to find another treatment method that has as many advantages as laser therapy.

The “advantages” of laser treatment have been officially proven in the form of:

Safety and painlessness of procedures;
No side effects;
Possibility of combination with other treatment methods;
Minimum of absolute contraindications;
Accelerated rate of recovery.

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Non-surgical treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint with laser allows you to restore the mobility of the limbs, relieving the patient of existing pain. Today, this technology has gained recognition as an effective therapy for various diseases of the human bone skeleton. With the help of laser treatment, it is possible to both eliminate the main symptoms of the pathology and achieve stable remission.

Therapy of the spine and other diseases

At the Yusupov Hospital, much attention is paid to treating patients with laser physiotherapy, since its effectiveness has been proven by modern medicine. The following diseases are treated with the help of a laser at the Yusupov Hospital:

heart diseases;
vascular diseases;
osteochondrosis;
neurosis;
gynecological diseases;
bronchitis, asthma;
dermatological diseases and many others.

Laser physiotherapy treatment is beneficial for the body for patients, this is expressed in the following effects:

anesthetic;
restorative,
anti-inflammatory,
immunocorrective,
antiallergic.

Also at the Yusupov Hospital, laser physiotherapy is used to prevent diseases such as: post-traumatic complications, postoperative treatment, prevention of ulcers, digestive diseases, gastritis, infectious diseases, prevention of psoriasis, asthma. Rehabilitation clinic specialists will provide laser therapy. For example, to prevent acute respiratory viral infections, after serious illnesses, as well as operations and various injuries, laser physiotherapy of joints, to improve performance in workers with heavy physical labor, during hyperepidemics. You can make an appointment with a specialist 24/7 by calling the Yusupov Hospital.

Features of laser healing

At the end of the 19th century, the first attempts were made to treat joints and bones using artificial light waves. With the development of technology in the middle of the last century, the first laser devices appeared, which allowed doctors to cure patients with severe pathologies.

Today, treatment of arthrosis with waves is widely used all over the world, which indicates its effectiveness and safety of use. Patients note the complete painlessness of this therapy and the stability of remission even after severe pathologies. Doctors were able to restore patients with non-surgical methods for various joint lesions.

Laser therapy for arthrosis of the knee joint will require full compliance with the technique, the correct choice of pulse frequency and wavelength, optimal selection of power and operating modes of the equipment. Therefore, it is important to contact clinics that not only use high-quality equipment, but also employ professionals who have extensive practical experience in restoring patients after various pathologies.

Depending on the equipment used in the treatment of the knee joint, the following three techniques can be selected:

Remote non-contact, when the patella or joint is exposed to a laser beam of light, keeping the emitter at a short distance from the skin.
With the contact technique, the device is directly applied to the inflamed composition.
With contact treatment technology with compression, light pressure is applied by the emitter to the tissue, which allows for the deepest penetration of the beam into the affected area.

During an exacerbation, when heating is contraindicated and undesirable, cold laser technology can be used, in which the emitter is combined with a roller attachment, which allows for a double healing effect.

One of the advantages of laser therapy is the minimum of contraindications. It is not recommended to use this method of recovery if:

oncological diseases;
pregnancy;
elderly person;
anemia and open form of tuberculosis;
diseases of the thyroid gland.

Even in the presence of serious acute and chronic concomitant diseases, it is possible to use laser therapy to restore cartilage and ligaments.

Numerous studies have shown the high effectiveness of this technology, provided the correct course of treatment is selected. Patients who undergo laser therapy experience a stable remission, and the symptoms of the pathology, including pain and swelling of the joints, decrease.

The use of laser therapy has the following effects on the body:

Metabolic processes in the body are activated.
The immune system is restored.
The condition of blood vessels improves.
An analgesic effect is noted.
Cellular and humoral immunity is corrected.
Metabolic processes are improved.
Tissue regeneration is activated.
Antioxidant blood activity increases.

Stable remission can be achieved only with full compliance with the doctor’s recommendations.

Modern equipment and laser treatment techniques make it possible to restore patients even after severe forms of diseases that previously could only be treated with surgery.

Contraindications and indications

Despite the obvious effect of laser therapy, there are a number of the following contraindications:

oncology;
circulatory failure;
pregnancy, lactation period;
urolithiasis disease;
endocrine diseases;
cholelithiasis;
renal and liver failure;
mental illness;
respiratory failure;
convulsions;
fever;
severe blood diseases.

Contraindications for laser physiotherapy of joints are the same as general contraindications.

When carrying out laser physiotherapy, in addition to the local effect, it is also possible to exhibit a general healing effect. Thanks to the effects of the laser, general stimulation occurs in the human body, sleep improves, and endurance increases. The benefits of using laser in therapy are significant and include:

treatment is done without drugs;
no side effects;
does not cause allergies;
comfortable treatment;
does not lead to addiction;
long-term effect of treatment;
reduces the speed of recovery;
improves quality of life;
leads to recovery faster than without its use, especially in acute diseases;
reduces the risk of stroke and heart attack.

To perform laser physiotherapy, certain safety rules must be followed, which include:

access to the room where the laser is installed should be limited to persons who are not involved in working with the laser device;
the laser installation must be shielded and grounded as much as possible;
It is prohibited to keep various gases and liquids, as well as flammable things, in the same room with the laser apparatus;
All healthcare workers and patients, as well as everyone who works with the laser, must protect their eyes with special glasses. They are made with reflective and absorbent glass;
only persons over 18 years of age can work with a laser;
It is necessary to install the laser in a separate room or area. There should be a sign on the doors that warns that laser equipment is in operation.

Treatment of joint pathology

When treating arthrosis with a laser, the patient does not experience any unpleasant sensations; he does not require preliminary preparation to perform such therapy. Direct recovery is carried out without hospitalization; after completion of the procedure and short rest, the patient can go home. For chronic inflammation of the joints, doctors use a contact technique with compression, which allows for the highest possible effectiveness of treatment.

The acupuncture method of treatment is popular, when the doctor selects several points at the same time, which are treated with a laser for several minutes. This method of healing is most effective for chronic joint diseases.

There is currently no universal method for treating arthrosis with laser therapy. In each specific case, the doctor, depending on the existing pathology and its stage, will choose one or another equipment, as well as the number of applications and the duration of exposure on the patient’s body. The treatment technology will also depend on the location of the inflamed joint and the characteristics of the ligament damage.

When diagnosing arthrosis of the ankle joint, coxarthrosis and gonarthrosis, scanning laser beam technology is used. Modern equipment is capable of targeting the affected area, working at predetermined coordinates. In cases where the inflammatory focus is as deep as possible, the so-called rack scanning is used. In this case, the laser effect on the joint lasts up to 8 minutes. Already after the first sessions, signs of recovery are noted, pain disappears, stiffness is eliminated, and the amplitude of movement of the limbs is restored.

Features of the operation

The day before, the patient is given a cleansing enema. Before the operation, anti-inflammatory and sedative drugs are administered. Typically, local anesthesia is used, but this is not necessary. It is important that the patient does not move for 20 minutes. If the fulfillment of this condition is in doubt, the issue of intravenous anesthesia is resolved.

The needle insertion site is selected individually in each individual case.

Laser nucleoplasty of intervertebral discs is performed under X-ray supervision. During the laser operation, the disc tissue is heated and evaporated and decompressed - this eliminates excess pressure. Reducing the pressure in the disc starts the recovery process:

Its volume becomes smaller;
The fibrous ring takes its previous position;
The pathology is eliminated.

Complete recovery of patients

Magnetic-laser mixed therapy is used for severe stages of arthrosis and coxarthrosis. Treatment of chronic and advanced pathologies is complicated by the fact that surgical interventions are required, and no experienced doctor can guarantee the success of such an operation.

Whereas the impact on the affected joints simultaneously with laser and magnetic rays makes it possible to activate tissue regeneration, after which the patient, after several visits to the doctor, notices an improvement in his condition. Depending on the stage of the disease and the location of arthrosis, 10 to 15 procedures are required, after which a month-long break is taken and the treatment session is repeated again.

Helium-neon laser technology can be used to eliminate periarthritis. This is unique equipment capable of generating radiation with a wavelength of no more than 0.63 nm. Infrared radiation simultaneously provides thermal, photochemical and electrochemical effects on the affected joints. After ten sessions, the destruction of connective tissue stops, blood restoration processes are stimulated, and new capillaries are formed, which are responsible for supplying blood to the affected joints.

Treatment of patients with chronic arthrosis of the joint can be delayed for 2-3 months or more. The intensity of laser exposure for old injuries increases significantly, which will allow you to get a noticeable effect after the first procedures.

In case of exacerbation of diseases, a pulsed mode with minimal doses of radiation is used.

Rules for preparing for nucleoplasty

The selection of patients for this operation occurs according to certain criteria. The neurosurgeon needs to have complete information about the pathology:

Localization of the defect;
Condition of the fibrous core, spinal cord, spinal canal and joints;
Dimensions of protrusion.

MRI can provide this information. If necessary, clarifying examinations are prescribed:

Discography;
MRI with contrast agent;
Myelography.

To obtain information about the functioning of vital organs, a standard examination is carried out:

ECG;
Blood and urine analysis;
Fluorography;
Examination by a therapist.

Effective treatment of knee arthrosis with laser