Laser Therapy

Low Intensity Laser Therapy (LILT) is the use of monochromatic light emission from a low intensity laser diode (250mW or less) or an array of high intensity super-luminous diodes (providing total optical power in the 10 to 2000mW range) to treat musculoskeletal injuries, chronic and degenerative conditions, and to heal wounds. The light source is placed in direct contact with the damaged tissue, allowing the photon energy to penetrate to variating depth. Cell interaction occurs, restoring normal cell function and enhancing your body's natural healing process.

By affecting and reversing your condition at the cellular level, the laser enhances the restoration of normal cell function, thereby reducing symptoms. The beneficial effects of laser therapy are cumulative over the course of a series of treatments, determined by your healthcare professional.

Treatments are typically 15 minutes to 1 hour in duration for any particular condition or patient.

Depending on your specific condition, you may respond to laser therapy quickly, or your healing may require more time. Everyone's body and medical condition are different, but on average, you should begin to see results after 2 to 4 visits and full results after approximately nine visits.

The number of treatments will vary depending on your specific condition. Just as every medical condition varies, so will an individual's response to therapy. In a recent clinical report summarizing over 1,000 patients treated with the BioFlex Professional LILT system at the time of discharge, patients averaged slightly fewer than 10 treatments to resolve their condition completely.

We charge $65 for a half-hour treatment, $80 for a 45-minute treatment and $105 for a full hour. This falls within the average rates charged by clinics using the BioFlex laser.

If your insurance coverage includes chiropractic, the LILT will also be included under that designation. Currently, the government of Nova Scotia does not cover any portion of chiropractic or laser therapy.

There are no known negative side effects of laser therapy. Unlike many pharmaceutical options, laser therapy is non-toxic. Unlike surgical procedures, it is non-traumatic and non-invasive.

Yes, anyone can receive laser therapy unless they experience a condition listed in the question below. (Who is not a good candidate to receive laser therapy?)

You cannot receive Low Intensity Laser Therapy if you fall into any of these categories:

• Patients on photoactive medication
• Women in their first trimester of pregnancy
• Patients with cancer or any form of benign cell growth
• Patients who experience any hemorrhaging or any uncontrolled bleeding
• Anyone with photosensitivity, either inherently or as a result of photosensitive drugs

Please advise us if you have any of the following conditions, and we will decide if you are still a good candidate for LILT:

• You experience a loss of sensation or reflex in the area where the laser is to be administered
• You have heart disease or a pacemaker
• You have a previous diagnosis of cancer, which is currently in remission or a non-active state
• You have a bacterial skin infection

LILT produces radiation as photon energy in the visible and near infra-red regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Worldwide research conducted over the past thirty years indicates that normally functioning cells are not adversely affected by this type of irradiation. Unlike other forms of radiation (i.e. X-rays), this process is beneficial rather than harmful to tissue.

It is a highly therapeutic device that combines the potential benefits of LILT with super-luminous diodes to effectively treat many medical disorders. Developed and engineered by Meditech International Incorporated, BioFlex represents the decade's most significant technological advancement in LILT. Indeed, it is considered an important 'new therapeutic dimension,' and this is why we have chosen BioFlex for the patients at our office.

For many years, rehabilitation therapies, including ultrasound, interferential current, and TENS, have been widely used worldwide to treat pain and stimulate the healing process. Unlike the BioFlex, however, the healing effects of these treatments have been disappointing as they appear to modulate symptoms only. In contrast, BioFlex can directly influence pathology at the cellular level, resulting in therapeutic benefits that are more profound and, indeed, curative. Frequently, alternative therapies act as counter-irritants, causing a transient increase in arterial circulation and the release of endorphins, providing only temporary symptomatic relief.

Across Canada, the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia, BioFlex is being used by an increasing number of physicians, chiropractors and physiotherapists. The Toronto Raptors and the Miami Heat of the NBA, as well as the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Toronto Blue Jays, have also used BioFlex for injured players with excellent results. In addition, many athletes from golf, hockey, tennis, and increasingly ballerinas, figure skaters, gymnasts, and other athletes in artistic sports are experiencing the positive effects of this therapy as well.