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Going forward, we are more able to help a variety of conditions successfully with laser therapy.

From a professional standpoint, the highlight of 2011 for me was attending the 6^th International Laser Conference in Toronto in June. If I thought I had a depth of knowledge of laser before, it pales to what I learned at this conference.

The foundation of how specific laser light interacts with tissue is established. In the words of Dr Fred Kahn, the potential for the application of laser to treat various pathologies is “immense”. This is based on legitimate peer reviewed research conducted at universities and various clinics worldwide.

Some highlights of the future include laser stimulation/modulation of stem cells, laser stimulation to regenerate injured/diseased nerve tissue and the initial stage work of using laser in the treatment of various cancers.

One of particular interest to me was using laser therapy transcranially (over the head) to treat the acute and chronic effects & symptoms of concussions. I’m virtually convinced that many chronic pain syndromes and common symptom profiles are the result of accumulated head injuries.

This is particularly true with car accident victims and for many others who suffer with various vague symptoms with no “known cause”.

2012 holds some exciting potential. Shane Clark is in the process of becoming a certified laser therapist. This will open up new treatment hours and help to fully integrate his massage work with laser therapy.

Laser therapy is used to resolve inflammation, decrease pain and improve function. If you have a chronic or acute joint or soft tissue related problem, it is in your best interest to consider laser therapy. It is clinically shown to be the most effective & efficient form of therapy.

If you have any questions about a particular condition or would like further information, please consult our website or email me dreric@filosofi.ca

I wish you the most Merry Christmas and the fullest 2012.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients:

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1c chopped onion
1/2c chopped green bell pepper
1/2c chopped yellow bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2c pumpkin puree
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 dash salt
1/2c shredded cheddar cheese
1/2c sour cream

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and saute the onion, green bell pepper, yellow bell pepper and garlic until tender. 
Stir in the turkey and cook until evenly brown. 
Drain and mix in tomatoes and pumpkin. 
Season with chili powder, pepper and salt.
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20 minutes.
Serve topped with cheddar cheese and sour cream.

From allrecipes.com

“What happened?” I asked. Turns out she went to this clinic run by a medical doctor named Dr Fred Kahn. Within a matter of several days, in her words, “everything was back to normal.”

At events like this, I talk to lots of people and to be honest, at the end of the day, it all usually seems like a blur. This was different. I had a very vivid memory of this conversation. I did a Google search on Dr Kahn and came up with Meditech International Inc. They develop, research and manufacture laser equipment as well as running two clinics in downtown Toronto and Etobicoke.

To make a long story short, after a couple of trips to Toronto, a weekend of training and certification, I am pleased to tell you that we now offer the latest in laser therapy for the treatment of a wide variety of conditions.

Laser therapy has been developed extensively over the last several decades. There is a very impressive and growing body of research that has very clearly defined the mechanism by how it works and its effectiveness with a variety of conditions.

As a chiropractor, laser therapy offers many advantages to the therapist and patient. It is totally non-invasive and non toxic. Those who shy away from traditional chiropractic treatments can receive care from a chiropractor without being adjusted.

Click here to view a detailed description of Low Intensity Laser Therapy.

Please contact me if you have any questions about low intensity laser therapy and how it may benefit you or your family and friends.

Laser therapy has allowed me to help people with many conditions that as a chiropractor, I would not be able to do anything for. I see people get better quicker with great lasting effects. They get back to living their lives quicker with much less time effort and expense.

In our clinic we have seen great results with laser therapy treating

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Neck Pain & Headaches
• Shoulder & Rotator Cuff Conditions
• Arthritis (Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid) affecting a variety of joints
• Edema, especially around the ankles of seniors
• Acute sprains and strains caused by a variety of activities
• Plantar fasciitis
• Pain associated with varicose veins
• Hematoma/Bruising from various injuries
• Pain, Swelling, Stiffness in knees after knee replacement
• Fibromyalgia
• The list continues to grow

It is essential to understand the primary effects specific laser energy has on tissues. All injuries, sprains, strains and degenerative disease have a common link, INFLAMMATION.

A question I get all the time is “Can laser therapy help me with…?”  Laser therapy can be applied to any area of the body, because the fundamental problem is tissue related, not area specific.

Inflammation deep within tissues and joints is what causes pain, loss of mobility, edema and tissue destruction. The most serious consequences of chronic inflammation are the failure of tissues to heal, loss of function and the progression of chronic pain.

The purpose of laser therapy is to eliminate symptoms and restore normal function by resolving the inflammatory process, allowing natural processes to heal tissues. This decreases or eliminates the need for pain and anti-inflammatory drugs.

Most importantly, it allows people to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle doing the things they need and love to do.

This is a term that will be heard more and more in the coming years because the economics of healthcare is a disaster.

Managers of government and insurance sponsored payments are becoming much more stringent as to the proven value of the service delivered for the dollar paid, as well they should.

Various sources suggest roughly 10-25% of conventional therapies actually have appropriate studies and documentation to support their effectiveness. This is a very low number considering the billions of dollars that go towards healthcare, private, public and otherwise.

Laser therapy is unique because of the very high level of documentation showing its effectiveness both clinically and economically. The level of pure scientific and clinical studies is vast, global and growing rapidly.

Laser has been shown to be the treatment of choice for soft tissue, joint, acute and chronic pain because it works to normalize cell and tissue function. It triggers the body to heal instead of simply modulating symptoms.

Below are links to some interesting articles. If you have any questions or would like to discuss a particular health concern, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Achilles Tendonitis

Knee Pain

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

1. Proper footwear - Make sure you get a good pair of running shoes as they are your first line of defence against shin splints.  Make sure you also change your shoes every 3 months of training to make sure they maintain their proper support.
2. Gradually increase your distance and intensity - Doing this will minimize the strain on your body and reduce the chance of injury.  An increase of 10% per week is reasonable for most people to progress with a minimal chance of injury.
3. Rest and recovery - Your body needs approx. 24-48 hours to recover properly from training.  Your hydration and nutrition will also have a major impact on the quality of your recovery.  Making sure you get approx. 2-3 litres of water and eating a balanced diet will help ensure your training goes smoothly
4. Running surfaces - In the city we tend to only being able to run on asphalt or cement but it is important to try and get training on softer surfaces like grass or gravel to reduce strain on the shins. 
5. Stretching and warming up - It is vital to properly stretch the muscles before starting and after finishing your run.  Warming up is important as well with a 5 minute run at slow speed to allow the body to prepare for heavier training.

Each form of laser light is a defined frequency or kind of light. Think of the colours of the rainbow. Red is different than blue because of the frequency of the waves you are looking at.

Specific wavelengths of light have a different effect. Some might stimulate cell growth, blood flow or protein production for example. Our laser uses three different frequencies in the red and infrared spectrum to do all this and much more.

The biggest difference is power and time used. Our laser uses 750 to 1500 milliwatts, very low power used over 30-60 minutes. A laser for cutting or burning would be 100s if not 1000s of Watts in power used for fractions or multiples of a second.

The take-home is the kind of light used, the power put behind it and how long it is applied. Low intensity laser therapy is specific wavelengths of light with very low power levels applied over time. 

Acute injuries related to the muscles, joints, ligaments and other related soft tissues have been described as the weakest link in modern health care. Why? Because the usual treatment of simply treating pain doesn't address healing the damage which leads to increasing disability over time and speeds the arthritic/degenerative/aging process.

Low intensity laser has a dramatic healing effect on new injuries. The key is to get the attention early, avoid the common wisdom of hoping it will get better on its own and simply covering up the pain.

Injured tissues go through the process of inflammation where the body desperately tries to fix the damage. The trouble is, this leads to scar tissue, which is a poor substitute for healthy tissue. It is relatively brittle, unorganized and is more prone to repeated injury.

Healthy tissue is flexible, very organized and is much more resilient. It makes sense then to do everything you can to avoid scare tissue formation and promote healthy tissue recovery after an injury.

Low intensity laser therapy works well with acute injuries as well as chronic problems. The fact is, most chronic problems start because appropriate attention wasn't taken when it was acute. This left the opportunity for a small problem to get big.

If summer activities have resulted in an ankle sprain, an achy shoulder, sore back or anything like that, come in and get it checked out. All too often, we wait until we can't do the things we want and need to do before we take care of things.

The low intensity laser we use is the most modern technology. Treatment is painless, non-toxic and with no side effects.

It is a Health Canada approved medical therapy device used by professional athletes and performers for decades and is now available to the public.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Better yet, arrange to come in for a consultation to see if laser therapy is appropriate for your particular problem.

Most people come to me with common conditions such as low back pain, sciatica, knee pain, neck pain and shoulder pain to name a few. I also see a lot of foot related problems such as plantar fasciitis, achilles tendonitis and ankle sprains.

Many times, people come with several conditions. The question is, are they related, and if so, how do you help someone as quickly as possible with the best chance for long term success?

From a mechanical perspective, looking at the feet and how you stand, walk and move makes a whole lot of sense.  It is vital to take into account your entire kinetic chain to give the best chance for success. This is especially true if your health complaint is related to your spine, pelvis, hips or any part of your legs.

Laser therapy is about kick starting tissues to heal and function in a normal physiological way. Many get some device stuck in their shoe or spend many dollars on fancy shoes, but never get the benefit because the physiology of the tissues is never changed. Laser is the most effective way to do this.

Correcting mechanical problems increases long term stability and potentially decreases the chance of a problem coming back.

Dr Gauthier our pedorthist, is a specialist in analyzing your feet and kinetic chain (feet, ankles, knees, hips & low back on up) both statically and dynamically. That is both standing and moving. 

He is also a specialist in determining appropriate footwear and prescribing orthotic devices. Sometimes the best advice given is that you don't need anything other than a more appropriate pair of shoes.  Working with him offers another perspective but also a better probability of a longer term solution to your health problem.

Dr Gauthier offers a complimentary consultation and analysis to see if your feet are a component of your health problem.