Brain and mental health benefits of low-level laser
Mental health is a growing concern and brain function disorders are on the rise. These include traumatic brain injuries (TBI), depression, anxiety, dementia and post-traumatic stress disorder. Among our college students we are seeing anxiety as a top concern in 41.6 percent, followed by depression (36.4 percent) and relationship problems (35.8 percent). Another concern on the rise is traumatic brain injuries and it is reported that mild concussions make up 75 percent of all brain injuries. It is estimated that 1.7 million people sustain a TBI each year in the U.S. Many of these individuals are young children and teenagers playing contact sports including soccer, basketball, lacrosse, hockey and football. Another group severely impacted are our military personnel deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, who frequently experience mild to severe TBI’s while overseas. When they return home, they often struggle with depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Many people struggling with TBI symptoms have poor blood flow and oxygenation to the brain tissue, increased inflammation and oxidative stress in the brain following head injuries. These factors contribute to further deterioration of the brain tissue and can lead to chronic symptoms.
Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has been found to help with TBI’s and over 1,000 scientific studies show it can help a variety of disorders without any harmful side effects. LLLT is the application of low-power lasers for therapeutic purposes and it has been utilized since 1967. It is a class III laser that does not cut or burn tissue like high-intensity surgical lasers, but rather encourages cells to function properly. The light emitted from these devices stimulate a photochemical reaction within cells that can increase the healing process. This is done mainly by supporting mitochondria which generate most of the energy in your body. Mitochondria contain photoreceptors that absorb the photons from light and convert them into energy (ATP) that can be used to perform cellular tasks and biological processes. ATP is necessary for critical cognitive function and helps prevent neurological disorders.
In 2009, researchers took 10 patients with a history of major depression and anxiety and applied LLLT to their foreheads for four weeks. At the end of the study, six of the 10 patients experienced a remission of their depression and seven of the 10 experienced a remission of their anxiety. There were no observable side effects. (1) This makes sense considering that several studies show that depression is linked to abnormal blood flow in the frontal cortex of the brain, and LLLT increases blood flow and circulation (2).
In our office, we use low-level laser therapy along with chiropractic care for many of our patients and have seen improved outcomes. Call our office today at 208-966-4425 to schedule a consultation to find out more about chiropractic and low-level laser therapy.
References:
1) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19995444
2) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10739143
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Dr. Wayne M. Fichter Jr. is a chiropractor at Natural Spine Solutions. The business is located at 3913 Schreiber Way in Coeur d’Alene, 208-966-4425.