Cold Laser Advanced As Carpal Tunnel Treatment

Rio writes "A local6.com article tells us about how the constant pounding away at the keyboard is a literal pain for millions of people. According to an official, the cold laser technique is a medical device that will soon be used by more doctors to treat carpal tunnel syndrome. The procedure involves the use of a cold laser beam that pierces the skin and stimulates white blood cells to come to the inflamed area to reduce pain and swelling."

This was good to see

[SLot]

"We just started trying it on rheumatoid arthritis and, so far, the results we've had as far as pain ... it's helped," Smith said. "

As I've recently noticed the beginnings of arthritis, I'm hoping this works. Now I have no excuse to stop staying up late playing games! :)

seeing red syndrome

[Lepruhkawn]

I would like to use a laser on my cube neighbors that pound their keys like they're attempting to push them through the desk.

making holes to help pain?

[voisine]

Wouldn't it be cheaper to visit the local
acupuncturist?

Wow.

[Anonymous Coward]

More technology to relieve the ravages of another technology... This is what modern Western culture is good at; creating problems and then trying to solve them.

Why not getting a different type of work? How about working less?

Re:Wow.

[ConceptJunkie]

Well, I don't know about you, AC, but I'm not particularly interested in pushing paper or digging in the dirt for a living.

If you're so against technology being used to solve problems, then I think you need to give up your modern conveniences, medicine and other services, otherwise you might be considered a hypocrite.

Cold Laser?!

[TRACK-YOUR-POSITION]

ICE BEAM!!!!!! yeah, that's right, after reading this post, you will now associate marvel vs. capcom (specifically Ice Man) with Carpel Tunnel Treatment (cold laser)! OPTIC BLAST!

How does this help?

[Sgt York]

Inflammation is a result of an immune response in an area. "White blood cells" normally refers to immune cells (T's, B's, PMN's). So how does recruiting MORE inflammatory cells to an already inflammed area help anybody?

Fighting Carpal Tunnel Through Information

[Gwyndolyn]

It is also important to note that patients recieve treatment as well as councelling regarding "posture and stress-reducing relaxation techniques" This knowledge may be as important if not more so in treating workers with this disorder.

With the millions of dollars spend each year on worker's compensation claims, a mere $45/visit seems a blessing to insurance companies everywhere. Hopefully this is a treatment that works over the long-run.

theory behind treatment

[!splut]

Mabye my immunobio knowledge isn't up to snuff, but I don't see how recruiting white blood cells to the site of an inflammation response would help to reduce swelling and pain. White blood cells ought to end up at sites of inflammation anyway.

Local6.com not being helpful in the explanation department, I checked out http://www.coldlaser.com/, only to learn the following:

"Certain wavelengths of light have the ability to penetrate high-water content material such as animal tissue. This penetration allows the process of photobiostimulation on animal cells is similar to photosynthesis in plant cells whereby light sets in motion a chain of chemical reactions. In human tissue the resulting photochemical reaction produces an increase in the cellular metabolism rate which expedites cell repair and the stimulation of several systems: the immune, lymphatic and vascular."
(http://www.coldlaser.com/services.html)

Which strikes me as silly and poorly understood. On the other hand, the treatment only costs $45, is covered by insurance, and also involves patients "learning proper posture and stress-reducing relaxation techniques," which we know from years of clinival use to be helpful, so, hey, whatever. If Dr. Smith enjoys shining lasers into his patients' wrists, power to him.

Re:theory behind treatment

[iggymanz]

It seems to me the only mechanism involved might be merely the beneficial effects of heating tissue! I bought a paraffin bath for my father to use on his arthritic hands; after a few minutes of use he can then move his hands without pain for a few hours.

Re:theory behind treatment

[mr_teem]

White blood cells ought to end up at sites of inflammation anyway.

External inflammation treatments are designed to get more white blood cells to the location to speed their effect. In that sense, the cold laser treatment would work for inflammation. So would ice and heat. So would ultrasound. (I've used all of these.) Maybe the cold laser is more efficient in luring white
blood cells because it could localizes the effect.

Patients are said to notice a difference in 3-5 visits. Well, so did I with icing myself for a couple of weeks. Since I apparently have my cynical cap on today, this "report" strikes me as a thinly-disguised advertisement offering chiropractic treatment for carpal tunnel sufferers. Not that that's bad--I see one today but for very well-defined reasons. But I'm not going to pay--or have my insurance company pay--for him to point a laser at my wrist when an ice pack will do for the pain. (But, as always, one's mileage may vary.)

Painful Memories...

[greenhide]

In the spring of 2000, I started to develop what I believe was the beginnings of CTS in my left wrist. It was bad, too--there were some times when I had to lie in bed, cradling my arm because of the pain.

What I found extremely useful was physical therapy. My physical therapist manipulated my shoulder, which was tensed up and pinching the nerve that ran down my arm. He also provided helpful exercises for strengthening and stretching my arms and back, which was responsible for my bad posture. Really, he ran the gamut -- exercises, forced stretches, massage, electronic accupuncture, etc.

Since then, I have had occasional tingling in my arm, but no more pain.

If cold lasers work, that's great, but much of the work in my case had to be done in my shoulder, back, and posture. Without the manipulations on my shoulder and helpful advice of exercising, I probably would have reverted back if my treatments had been local to my wrist.

Cold Laser???

[cachorro]

Better keep that cold laser out of the wrong hands. [canoe.ca]

tai chi

[slevin]

Myself and several other people have had bad CTS that just got better and stayed better after picking up tai chi. It is good for the body, good for the mind, and good for the soul. Mix in the prospects of becomming a kung fu master and you really have a can't lose situation.

Or you could solve the actual problem...

[beatbox]

If you're having chronic pain problems of any kind that won't go away even after physical therapy, and after doctors start saying "well... you should be better by now but you're not... so.... try more physical therapy!", then try reading this book.

The Mindbody Prescription: Healing the Body, Healing the Pain [amazon.com] by Dr. John Sarno.

This worked wonders for me, for my friend who pointed me towards it, and for 3 or 4 other people I've sent copies to.