Are you looking for a new solution? Don’t you wish there were another way? Wouldn’t it be great if there was a possible answer for your pain – an answer that was not invasive and did not have side-effects?

Read on - there is a possible solution used by doctors across the country, and they are helping patients with pain, just like you. That solution is known as laser therapy, specifically delivered with a higher-powered class 4 therapeutic laser device such as the Summus Medical Laser. The fancy official word for this procedure is ‘photobiomodulation’ or PBM, but we will just call it ‘laser therapy’.

Laser therapy uses red and near infrared laser light to induce photochemical reactions in the body on the molecular and cellular levels. Summus Medical Laser protocols combine wavelengths, pulsing and power to achieve unparalleled therapeutic effects including modulation of inflammation, reduction in pain, accelerated tissue healing and increased circulation.

Studies show that laser therapy treatments have neuro-protective effects, meaning that laser therapy treatments can help to keep nerve cells alive and functioning normally. When nerve cells function normally, pain is resolved. Pain is reduced by relieving chronic inflammation and reducing painful sensitivity to light touch, called allodynia.

To deliver adequate laser dosages to target tissues deep inside the body, much higher power levels need to be used at the skin surface. This is why your doctor will use a class 4 therapy laser, such as the Summus Medical Laser for your treatments.

There are nearly 2 million people living with limb loss in the United States. Approximately 185,000 amputations occur in the United States each year. Nearly 80 percent of amputees experience phantom limb pain.

Phantom limb pain is pain that seems to be originating from the missing limb. The experience of phantom limb pain can be mild – or it can be excruciating and constant. There could be no pain sensations to mild cases where pain is felt occasionally for a few minutes to constant debilitating pain that prevents normal daily activities. About 20% suffer from excruciating pain, which strongly affects their quality of life and can lead to suicide.

Non-invasive treatments that have relieved phantom limb pain for some include the following: hot and cold packs; manual manipulation, such as chiropractic adjustments; transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS); mirror therapy and visualization.

Invasive treatments, or those with significant side-effects include anesthetic injections, nerve blocks, opioid pain medications, and surgery.

People suffering from phantom limb pain can be reluctant to tell anyone about their painful experience, for fear that they will be considered “crazy.” But it is very important to report pain as soon as they are experienced so treatment can be started.

There was a time when it was presumed phantom limb pain was a psychological problem related to post-amputation emotional stress. The cause is still not clear, but experts believe it is a response to mixed signals from the brain and may also be caused by damaged nerve endings.

Today there is a safe, non-invasive treatment modality – class 4 laser therapy such as those delivered by a Summus Medical Laser. Laser therapy treatments are pain-free and have helped many patients suffering from phantom limb pain. Laser therapy treatments can help those damaged nerves repair and start working normally again – removing your pain and improving your quality of life.

[i] The Mechanistic Basis for Photobiomodulation Therapy of Neuropathic Pain by Near Infrared Laser Light; Holanda, Chavantes, Wu, Anders. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, 2017 Jul;49(5):516-524.

[ii] Ziegler‐Graham K, MacKenzie EJ, Ephraim PL, Travison TG, Brookmeyer R. Estimating the Prevalence of Limb Loss in the United States: 2005 to 2050. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation2008;89(3):422‐9.

[iii] Owings M, Kozak LJ, National Center for Health S. Ambulatory and Inpatient Procedures in the United States, 1996. Hyattsville, Md.: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics; 1998.