Cold Laser Therapy Issues - Essay Example

Cold Laser Therapy: An Evaluation of Claims Some cold laser device manufacturers and therapists in the United s are toting cold laser therapy asthe panacea for many health problems — from smoking cessation to weight loss to herpes treatment. Cold lasers are also known as biostimulation lasers, soft lasers, laser acupuncture devices, and low level laser therapy. The United States Food and Drug Administration has approved marketing of cold lasers as adjunctive devices for temporary pain relief (US FDA, 2008). However, the FDA site mentions that these approvals are for testing of individual devices based on supporting clinical data. To approve any other claim or even similar claim for a particular device, the FDA requires adequate clinical data. Hawaii-based Quantum-Healing -Lasers.com, which sells many cold laser products online, claims that low-level laser therapy is effective for pain relief, anti-aging, weight-loss, smoking cessation, skin care, and treatment of broken bones and bullet wounds (Quantum-Heating-Lasers.com). This paper aims to evaluate some of the claims made by the organization. I. Smoking cessation aid The claim Quantum-Healing-Lasers.com says that smoking cessation studies in Canada and Europe have a purported success rate of 85%. According to the site, a high-wavelength, low-energy light, when applied to specific points in the body, blocks nicotine-receptors and simulates the release of endorphins. Nicotine is the addictive-factor in cigarette smoking. Nicotine gives smokers a "high" by releasing mood-enhancing chemicals called endorphins. The release of endorphins during laser therapy allegedly prevents any withdrawal symptoms that may occur because of smoking cessation. By curtailing the withdrawal symptoms, a long-time smoker is not tempted to smoke again. The site claims that the procedure is painless, easy, and takes only half-an-hour. Counter-claims The American Cancer Society (ACS) alleges that the currently available scientific evidence does not support claims of cold laser therapy as a smoking cessation aid. Another allegation made by ACS is that some television stations reported the cold laser therapy providers advertisements promising smoking cessation with laser treatment as news, making the therapy popular (ACS::Cold Laser Therapy, 2007). Public watchdog group Public Citizen also alleged that cold laser therapy providers are defrauding thousands of smokers with promise of cessation for hefty sums of up to $349 per session. According to the group reviews of medical literature shows few well-run trials that study the effectiveness of cold laser therapy for smoking cessation (Striker, 2006). II. Anti-aging The Claim Quantum-Healing-Lasers.com claims that its Terraquant low level laser has anti-aging effects such as increase in production of fibroblast and collagen (which improve tissue strength), skin smoothening and wrinkle reduction, neovascularization and vasodilatation of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels, increased microcirculation and lymphatic drainage, increase in tissue granulation and formation of epithelial cells, promotion of callus formation through increased osteoblasts, muscle tissue and myocardium regulation, protection of central nerve and axons, promotion of regrowth of peripheral nerves, and increased immune response. Hartley (2004) says that increased collagen synthesis and vascularity of the healing tissue are known facts. Counter-claim Again, the ACS alleges that there is little or no evidence to show the effectiveness of cold lasers in anti-aging treatments such as removal or reduction of wrinkles (ACS::Cold Laser Therapy, 2007). III. Wound healing and regeneration The Claim Quantum-Healing-Lasers.com claims that low level laser therapy is effective for wound healing, regardless of the cause. A study is cited to show the decrease in healing time with cold lasers. Regenerative effects purported by the site include accelerated repair mechanisms of bone, epithelium, and muscle, enhanced regeneration of the peripheral nerve post injury, reduced or eliminated scar tissue, increased collagen synthesis, tissue repair, post-operative wound healing, post injury wound healing, and wound management (Quantum-Healing-Lasers.com). Counter-claim In his book Laser-Tissue Interactions, Niemz (2003) suggests that results on wound-healing capacities of biostimulated lasers could be verified by independent research groups in few studies. According to Niemz, the most significant studies show a variety of potential application fields used including different intensities of light. Another finding of the research was that half the patients in many of the studies were cured without application of lasers. This argument questions the effectiveness of cold laser therapy for wound healing. IV. Cold lasers in dentistry The Claim Quantum-Healing-Lasers.com claims that cold laser therapy has an 80-95% success rate in 24 dental procedures including conditions such as alveolitis, anesthesia, canker sores, bleeding, caries, root canal, gingivitis, herpes zoster, hypersensitivity, jaw fractures, implants, nerve injury, leukplakia, sores, pain, and many more. FDAs stand The FDA has approved use of lasers for some treatments such as teeth whitening, gum diseases, removal of hard tissue on teeth, and tooth decay treatment (US FDA, 2008). V. Cold lasers and anti-inflammatory effect The claim Quantum-Healing-Lasers.com claims that cold lasers have anti-inflammatory effects such as immune response enhancement through increased proliferation of immune cells, enhanced lymphatic activity (drainage), improved vasodilatation, reduced swelling, reduced mucositis post irradiation and chemotherapy, post operative wound healing in herpes simplex and herpes zoster, and treatment of conditions such as elephantiasis and diabetic foot. Counter-claims We do not have to go to another Web site for a counter-claim. In the same page, Quantum-Healing-Lasers.com claims that cold lasers can suppress immune response by reducing antigen perception of T-lymphocytes (Quantum-Healing-Lasers.com). Ohta, Abergel, and Uitto (1987) showed that cold laser can suppress immune cell proliferation and reduce functional response of lymphocytes to antigen stimulation, both factors that suppress immune response. VI. Cold laser therapy and pain management The claim Quantum-Healing-Lasers.com claims that cold lasers change the potential of nerve cell membranes to cause hyperpolarization, which in turn leads to analgesia. While muscle relaxation is caused by increase in levels of adenosine triphosphate, release of endorphins causes a calming effect, claims the site. Other factors contributing to the analgesic effect (as claimed by the site) include change in concentration of transmitters at synaptic points and accumulation of serotonin metabolite. FDAs stand The FDA allows the usage of cold lasers in studies on analgesic effect of such devices, following evidence of temporary pain relief from such methods (US FDA, 2008). The future of cold laser therapy Many claims on cold laser statement are in the investigational stage by independent organizations. While there is some evidence of temporary pain relief from cold lasers, most of the other claims such as smoking cessation are controversial. Further research is required to prove the claims. Meanwhile, organizations selling cold lasers and cold laser therapies should keep in mind that many of the therapies they promote such as smoking cessation with cold lasers are not permitted by the FDA. Works Cited The American Cancer Society. (2007) ACS::Cold Laser Therapy. Retrieved April 21, 2009, from http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/content/ETO_5_3X_Cold_Laser_Therapy.asp Hartley, A. (2004) Myth or Magic. Advance Rehabilitation. 1(13) p. 43. Retrieved April 22, 2009 from http://www.bodytuning.us/articles/7-myth-or-magic Niemz, M.H. (2003). Laser-Tissue Interactions: Fundamentals and Applications. Springer. Retrieved April 21, 2009, from http://books.google.co.in/books?id=TNi24M0C5u0C Ohta, A., Abergel, R.P., & Uitto, J. (2005, online) Laser modulation of human immune system: Inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation by a gallium-arsenide laser at low energy. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine. Wiley-Liss, Inc. Retrieved April 21, 2009 from http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/112127468/abstract Quantum-Healing-Lasers.com. (2002-2008) Retrieved April 20, 2009, from http://quantum-healing-lasers.com Striker, C. (2006). Group: Stop Smoking Lasers A Fraud. Retrieved April 21, 2009, from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/06/22/health/main1743339.shtml US FDA. (2008) US FDA/CDRH: Consumer Information - Laser Facts. Retrieved April 20, 2009 from http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/consumer/laserfacts.html Read More