Laser Acupuncture Multiple Laser Diodes

Choosing A Laser Therapist

More and more health professionals such as massage therapists, physiotherapists, acupuncturists, naturopaths, nurses and more are offering laser therapy in their practice to treat pain, inflammation, speed healing of injuries, quitting addictions like quitting smoking and more.

This is good news! As it means that despite mainstream medicine being slow on recommending this powerful healing therapy (even with increasing scientific support) — clinical results are speaking for themselves. More people are recognizing and talking about laser therapy then ever before as demand continues to grow.

Despite all the good news surrounding laser light therapy, there are some potential pitfalls to avoid or minimize when looking for a professional that offers this service. Fortunately, Lazer Dave has been specializing in and using laser therapy in his health practice for 15+ years so has some key recommendations to consider:

  • CHOOSE A PROPERLY TRAINED, EXPERIENCED AND QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL. A professional that has a strong background in anatomy, physiology and physical therapy skills is very important to maximize laser therapy results and ensure safe application. Laser therapy onto itself is unregulated in Canada and there are plenty of  “laser technicians” operating in the market place with very minimal training. Best to go with someone who has a background in massage therapy, physiotherapy or similar.
  • OPTIMAL LASER DOSE. For optimal laser therapy results — factors such as duration, treatment frequency, power and ultimately “energy dose” (measured in joules/cm2) must be carefully considered. These treatment plan variables need to be customized to each individual patient based on critical healthy history factors such as age, general health, medications, skin pigmentation and more. Some individuals are extremely sensitive to laser and respond very quickly with a lower dose and others need a slightly higher dose for optimal and favourable results. A proficient laser therapist will consider all these factors proactively before your first treatment in order to formulate a tailored laser dose just for you that will maximize both short and long term results.
  • LESS IS MORE. It is Dave’s experience and an extension of the theory behind Arndt Schultz’s Law that weak stimuli excite physiological activity, moderate stimuli favor it, and strong stimuli arrests it. This simply means that overstimulation of tissues with laser is a risk and all to common mistake that beginner, unqualified and inexperienced therapists often make. This requires a therapist to utilize a disciplined and methodical approach acquired by training and years of experience treating different health concerns.

Lazer Dave applies all the above principles and methodologies in his treatments plus he has years of clinical experience to promote optimal laser therapy results. If you can’t be treated by Dave, make sure you choose a professional who not only has the optimal background and training with laser — pick someone who is not in a hurry and able to spend the appropriate amount of time with you in order to fully comprehend your unique needs. This will help to maximize your investment of time and money into a treatment plan utilizing laser therapy.

 

Questions To Ask When Choosing A Laser Therapy Professional

Considering the above principles, variables and concerns that promote optimal laser therapy results — here are some questions you might want to have answered when doing your researching for a proficient laser therapy professional. Check out their website, look for positive video testimonials, social media ratings or a personal consultation with them on the phone at least if the information you are looking for is not readily available online.

Remember, laser therapists and laser therapy is an unregulated therapy in Canada. This means that someone with NO background or training in anatomy, physiology, physical therapy, etc. and say an hour introductory course can say technically state they are “laser professional”. In particular, the trend seems that those that use the term “laser technician” should be scrutinized as they often DO NOT have a regulated health professional background.

  • WHAT QUALIFIES A PROFESSIONAL TO OFFER LASER THERAPY IN THEIR PRACTICE? Start with asking yourself is it even obvious who exactly will be treating you by personal name when researching a clinic that offers laser therapy? Does the professional have training or a background as a regulated health professional such as massage therapy, acupuncture, naturopathy, nursing or similar? How many courses have they completed on laser therapy? Where did they get their training? Do they pursue continuing education? How do they stay up-to-date on the latest clinical approaches and scientific research? If the answers are not clear —  this should raise red flags.
  • WHAT IS THEIR EXPERIENCE USING LASER THERAPY? What conditions does this therapist treat using laser therapy? How long have they been using laser therapy in their practice? Can they readily supply documented examples of positive treatment outcomes? What is their success rate? What about potential negative side effects and what steps do they take to minimize them? How about credible testimonials — do they have any posted on their website or YouTube? What kind of google reviews do they have? What does social media have to say about them? How do they respond to questions via social media? Do they even have a social media presence? If you cannot readily find this information via their website — the clinic likely utilizes the services of a “laser technician” versus a “laser therapist” with a regulated health professional background.
  • WHAT LASER THERAPY EQUIPMENT DO THEY USE? What brand of laser therapy equipment does the professional uses in their practice? If this is not presented on their site — they could be using substandard equipment. Where does it come from? When was it last serviced? How long has the manufacturer of the equipment they use been making lasers? Is the equipment Health Canada Approved? How long has the professional been using their particular laser system? How many laser diodes/probes do they use in treatments? Most “laser technicians” only use 1 probe while “laser therapists” tend to use more for optimal results.
  • CLINIC LOCATION. Where does the laser therapist practice from? Do they work with other health care professionals? Is the office or clinic location they offer their services from in a professional, clean and easy to access location? Office or clinic location is an important indicator of a laser therapist’s credibility.
  • PRICES. Are prices clearly quoted on their website? How many treatments are included with their fee’s? How much are additional or “booster” treatments if needed? Do their prices seem especially discounted? Do they include appetite suppression points with treatment or charge an exorbitant extra fee of an extra $100 for these 2-3 energy points which take very little extra time and effort to treat in addition to stimulating the core energy points? Good quality laser therapy equipment and training is not inexpensive , so it is only fair a good laser therapist should be adequately compensated for their investment into equipment, training and their specialized skills/knowledge they offer in the community and general market place.

If the majority of the questions above cannot be clearly or professionally answered — it should raise some serious concerns and may mean the “professional” you are considering offers substandard service and success rates.

 

Why Choose Lazer Dave?

Lazer Dave is Ottawa’s premiere laser therapy expert.

This is backed up by his 15+ years of clinical experience treating a myriad of health concerns, top notch European laser therapy equipment from Germany, high success rates, massage therapy training/background, anatomy expertise, physiology knowledge, hours of laser therapy training, commitment to continuing education and staying up-to-date on the latest research and developments in the field of laser and PBM (photobiomodulation) thearapy.

This combined expertise can be best summarized as “The Lazer Dave Advantage”. For more details on The Lazer Dave Advantage and Dave’s professional qualifications — check out the page “Why Choose Dave?”

 

About Lazer Dave

Want to know a little more personal info about Lazer Dave and his laser story?

Check out the “About Lazer Dave” page.

 

Is Laser Therapy Safe?

What Is Laser Therapy?

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is a non-invasive treatment that stimulates certain areas of the body with low-powered lasers. Research has shown laser therapy to be efficient in treating various issues such as pain, injuries and addictions. But is it safe?

Is Laser Therapy Safe?

To put it simply, yes, laser therapy is considered to be generally very safe. It has been used for many years and has demonstrated its efficacy with only a few reported side-effects via rigorous scientific studies and clinical application. The only precaution for every treatment is that patients must wear specialized glasses to protect against laser entering their eyes — these glasses will be provided by a therapist.

Potential Contra-indications

In regards to contra-indications, there are relatively few absolute contra-indications for laser therapy. The two main ones are that laser therapy is not applied over the fetus area when someone is pregnant (elsewhere is safe) and laser is not applied over any known malignancy or cancerous area. In addition, certain glands should be avoided such as the thalamus. Almost all medications are safe with laser therapy. In some cases when someone is taking a medication that makes them photosensitive, adjustments are made in terms of dosage to minimize minor adverse reactions. With this being said, it is important during a health history intake with a laser professional to disclose all information related to medications and health issues.

No Risk Of Burning With Low-Level Laser Therapy

The main reason this therapy is considered so safe is because it utilizes low-level lasers that do not create heat or cause any harm to the skin or tissues underneath. Low-level laser therapy can even be applied over metal and ceramic implants in the joints or similar. Laser therapy is a gentle modality that works by supplying energy to the targeted areas of body in the form of billions of photons of light that on a cellular level is transformed into chemical energy. This chemical energy is then utilized by the body to commence accelerated tissue repair and other strong healing effects.

In conclusion, laser therapy is considered to be a very safe treatment that promotes strong healing responses in the body.

Laser For Withdrawal From Nicotine, Alcohol, Marijuana, Sugar & More

What Is Laser Therapy For Withdrawal?

Laser therapy is a non-invasive procedure that stimulates energy points (a.k.a. acupuncture points) with gentle laser light instead of acupuncture needles. It is increasingly being recognized as an effective method or adjunct therapy for helping people with withdrawal symptoms to quit smoking, nicotine, alcohol, marijuana and more.

The purpose of laser therapy is to decrease withdrawal symptoms and cravings, making it much easier for people to quit various substances. It does this in one way by promoting a strong release of neurotransmitters like endorphins, dopamine and serotonin — which are the body’s natural feel good endorphins. There is another mechanism though that is increasingly becoming scientifically recognized by science and that is laser therapy can have very positive effects on the nervous system, including the brain.

Laser Therapy & The Nervous System

Scientific studies are showing that laser therapy has positive effects on the nervous system, cognitive function and neuroplasticity. Laser does this by promoting neurogenesis — the formation of new neurological tissue. The theory is that this also helps make it easier for people to adapt to the stress of change, learn new things and also adopt new habits more readily which is very helpful when people want to quit a bad habit.

 

Laser Therapy Is Safe

Laser therapy is generally non-invasive, harmless and well-tolerated. It is normally completed in a health clinic facility by a trained professional and sessions normally last between 30 and 45 minutes. Minor potential side effects include minor tiredness post treatment but this is often viewed as a positive side effect since laser therapy helps people to relax and sleep better. In general, laser therapy is viewed as a very low-risk and safe treatment option.

How Many Laser Therapy Treatments Will I Need?

The amount of laser therapy treatments required to help people with withdrawal. Quitting smoking usually has quick turn around and most are completely quit in 1-2 sessions. Alcohol and marijuana withdrawal symptoms can take 2-4 treatments or more to be resolved. Please note laser therapy results are not guaranteed but Lazer Dave does have a high success rate and 15+ years clinical experience using laser therapy.

Is Their Scientific Evidence For Laser Therapy For Withdrawal?

Despite what some doctors and critics might say — there is scientific evidence for the use of laser therapy and related modalities for quitting smoking, other substances and weight-loss. Here are 2 compelling ones on pubmed:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29937971/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28621706

What Is The Success Rates Of Laser Therapy For Withdrawal?

In regards to success rates — Lazer Dave’s success rates for helping people with withdrawal symptoms using laser therapy are very high when in addition to laser treatment(s):

  • Clients are motivated to want to quit. Laser is not magical — however clients sometimes describe the results as such when combined with a strong will to quit a bad habit.
  • Follow key habit change suggestions as presented in Lazer Dave’s Prep Guide. The most important change being choosing a replacement habit. This could be a new exercise program, hobby, meditation or similar. This is very important.
  • Specific supplement(s) that can add to the effects of laser therapy.

In conclusion, laser therapy for withdrawal from quitting smoking, alcohol, and marijuana is becoming increasingly recognized for helping people with withdrawal symptoms and making healthy lifestyle changes.

DISCLAIMER: Laser therapy is not a replacement for the advice of a doctor. It is important that you always consult with a doctor regarding any health concerns, medication changes or similar.

More Info On Lazer Dave’s Laser Therapy Services

QUIT SMOKING: https://ottawalasersolutions.com/ottawa-kanata-westboro-nepean-quit-stop-smoking-laser-therapy/

QUIT ALCOHOL: https://ottawalasersolutions.com/ottawa-kanata-westboro-nepean-quit-alcohol-laser-therapy/

QUIT MARIJUANA: https://ottawalasersolutions.com/quit-marijuana-cannabis-ottawa-laser-therapy/