Managing Arthritis: New Hope Beyond Traditional Treatments

For nearly 54 million Americans, arthritis isn't just a diagnosis—it’s a daily barrier. According to the CDC, roughly 23% of U.S. adults live with severe joint pain that limits their daily activities. Whether it’s caused by the natural "wear and tear" of an active life or an underlying medical condition, managing arthritis effectively is the key to maintaining your quality of life.

Understanding the "Blanket" Term

"Arthritis" is actually a broad term covering over 200 different conditions that affect joint health. It doesn't discriminate; while common in older adults, it can affect people of any age or gender. Because the onset is often gradual, symptoms can be easy to dismiss until they become debilitating.

Common warning signs include:

• Persistent joint pain or tenderness

• Visible inflammation or swelling

• A noticeable decrease in range of motion

• Redness or warmth in the skin surrounding a joint

Moving Beyond Conventional Medicine

Historically, arthritis treatment has focused on symptom suppression rather than long-term joint health. Standard protocols often include:

• Oral Medications: Analgesics (like acetaminophen) or NSAIDs (like ibuprofen) to dull pain.

• Topical Treatments: Creams designed to temporarily block pain signals.

• Invasive Options: Cortisones injections or surgical joint replacements when conservative methods fail.

While these tools have their place, many patients seek alternatives that don't rely on long-term medication use or invasive surgery.

A Modern Alternative: Laser Therapy

If you are looking for a non-invasive way to manage pain, Laser Therapy is emerging as a leading option. Unlike exercise or weight loss—which focus on reducing the load on your joints—laser therapy works at the cellular level.

How it works: Laser therapy uses specific wavelengths of light energy to penetrate deep into the tissue. This process, known as photobiomodulation, stimulates the body’s natural repair mechanisms.

The benefits for arthritis sufferers:

• Reduces Inflammation: It helps "flush" the joint of inflammatory markers that cause stiffness.

• Pain Relief: It interrupts pain signaling without the need for systemic drugs.

• Improved Mobility: By reducing swelling and pain, patients often see a significant increase in their range of motion.

• Zero Downtime: The treatment is completely painless, non-invasive, and has no known negative side effects.

Tips for Managing Arthritis with Laser Therapy

To get the most out of your laser treatments, consider these management tips:

1. Consistency is Key: Laser therapy is cumulative. Most patients see the best results with a series of treatments scheduled close together initially.

2. Combine with Movement: Use the "pain-free window" after a laser session to engage in light stretching or hydrotherapy to keep joints lubricated.

3. Stay Hydrated: Proper hydration supports the cellular recovery process triggered by the laser.

At Tripod Laser, we believe you shouldn't have to settle for "living with the pain." There are modern, safe ways to reclaim your mobility.

Ready to take the next step toward a pain-free life? Call our office at 248-360-3888 to schedule a consultation and find out if laser therapy is right for you. Let’s help you #livepainfree.

Laser Therapy in Sports Medicine

Sports medicine options are becoming increasingly popular with professional athletes and die-hard couch potatoes alike. Regardless of your activity level, these treatment options can help your body perform more efficiently. Athletic programs from the collegiate to professional level all over the US have made laser therapy a standard treatment protocol in their sports medicine arsenal, and most doctors offer some forms of treatment related to the practice. Here are just a few of the MANY key benefits that have made Photobiomodulation-PBM (laser therapy) such an effective addition to sports medicine.

Cellular Repair

The draw of sports medicine for most people is to remain as active as possible while healing. Laser therapy allows for better management of conditions while keeping patients engaged in activities that will not hinder their healing process.

Light energy in specific wavelengths can stimulate fibroblast development in damaged tissue. Fibroblasts are the building blocks of collagen, which is the essential protein required to replace old tissue or to repair tissue injuries.

PBM also has an anti-inflammatory effect on tissue. We’ve mentioned that it promotes vasodilation in other posts, but it also activates the lymphatic drainage system which drains swollen areas. This reaction helps reduce swelling caused by inflammation or bruising. Due to the nature of vasodilation, these effects can also help relieve “tight” sensations through muscles and tendons by increasing the supply of nutrients to the area.

Currently, blind studies are also being done on the effects of PBM in decreasing muscle fatigue.

Pain Management

The world of pain management can sometimes feel… limited. Go to treatment options often include topical, oral, or injectable medications with multiple side effects. Examples like cortisone or NSAIDS designed to fight pain and inflammation are but a few.

Laser therapy promotes several pain management mechanisms in tissue. By utilizing the analgesic effect of light energy laser therapy promotes the production of high levels of pain-killing chemicals like endorphins and enkephalin from the brain and adrenal gland. Light energy also affects nerve cells and can block transmissions by nerve cells to decrease sensitivity and pain. 

Side Effects

Many traditional forms of therapy (such as injections, and prescription medications) come with a list of side effects or possible reactions between differing medications, and in some cases can weaken tissue over time with extended use (steroid injections). Laser therapy is one of the few non-invasive, safe treatment options available today. Most patients don’t even feel any sensation at treatment. 

Conditions treated include:

Arthritis

Burns

Bursitis

Cuts

Fractures

Joint Pain (i.e.., ankle, back, knee)

Muscle Sprain / Strain/ Fatigue

Neuritis

Neuropathy

Plantar Fasciitis / Heel Pain

Post-Surgical Healing / Pain Management

Scarring

Tendonitis

Wound Healing

Treatments

Other therapies can also sometimes be used in conjunction with laser therapy. These can include icing, stretching, and even specialized tapings. Remember, any sports medicine related, or laser therapy treatments should always be performed under the direct supervision of your recommending doctor.

As always, we hope this information is helpful, and if you’d like more information regarding what laser therapy can do for you contact our office. We’re also on Facebook and Twitter @TripodLaser.

6 Benefits of Laser Therapy you didn't know about

At Tripod Laser Services our goal is to educate the community about laser therapy. So we’ve compiled a handy list of the top six benefits of laser therapy that most people aren’t aware of. Before we dive into the list you need to know what laser therapy is. Laser therapy is referred to as Photobiomodulation, and is a form of physical therapy that uses light energy to affect tissue, and is often used instead of injections and other medications. Currently, laser therapy is used to help manage conditions like arthritis, wound healing, and acute injuries like ankle sprains.

Now that we’re on the same page, on to the good stuff:

6. Laser therapy can help reduce the formation of fibrous tissue (scar tissue) following tissue damage from cuts, scratches, burns or a surgery.

5. Studies have shown that when participating in Photobiomodulation the tissue in treatment areas increase vascular activity, and vasodilation which is an increase in the diameter of blood vessels to allow better blood flow. This helps speed up the healing process to allow wounds to close more quickly and with less scarring.

4. Laser therapy doesn’t just affect damaged tissue; it can also help improve nerve function as well. Light energy helps speed nerve cell reconnection and regeneration. Nerve’s typically regenerate at an extremely slow rate, much slower than tissue.

3. Laser therapy promotes several pain management mechanisms in tissue. By utilizing the analgesic effect of light energy laser therapy promotes the production of high levels of pain killing chemicals like endorphins, and enkephalin from the brain and adrenal gland. As mentioned before, light energy also affects nerve cells, and when discussing pain can help block transmissions by nerve cells to decrease sensitivity and pain.

2. Light energy has a direct effect on immunoregulation. Laser therapy utilizes light to increase the production of ATP in tissue which is a major carrier and energy source for all chemical reactions in your cells.

1. Photobiomodulation also has an anti-inflammatory effect on tissue. We’ve mentioned that it promotes vasodialation before, but it also activates the lymphatic drainage system which drains swollen areas. This reaction helps reduce swelling caused by inflammation or bruising.

For more information on the many benefits of laser therapy follow us on Facebook @TripodLaser, and remember— why live with pain, if you don’t have to?