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10 Articles in Volume 8, Issue #2

Anticephalgic Photoprotective Premedicated Mask

Culture and the Ethics of Patient-Centered Pain Care

Interpreting the Clinical Significance of Pain Questionnaires

Intrathecal Therapy Trials with Ziconotide

Iontophoresis in Pain Management

Maximizing Tertiary Effects of Low Level Laser Therapy

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP): A Primer

Protecting Pain Physicians from Legal Challenges: Part 1

Right Unilateral Electroconvulsive Therapy Treatment for CRPS

Temporomandibular Dysfunction and Migraine

Maximizing Tertiary Effects of Low Level Laser Therapy

The tertiary effects of phototherapy—namely, immune system stimulation, increases in endorphin production, and lymphatic stimulation—help to attain optimal clinical outcomes.

By William J. Kneebone, CRNA, DC, CNC, DIHom

TI have discussed, in previous articles, the concepts of primary, secondary and tertiary effects of low level laser therapy (LLLT). I have concentrated in those articles on describing treatment protocols from the standpoint of primary and secondary tissue or biochemical effects. Dr. Dan Murphy, D.C. wrote a two-part series of articles in the October and November/December issues of Practical Pain Management that concentrated on the biochemical and quantum physical effects of LLT.1 His second article especially dealt with tertiary or whole body effects in response to LLLT at the quantum physical level.² In this article, I am going to describe ways to maximize tertiary effects during laser therapy.

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1. Murphy D. Low level laser therapy. Practical Pain Management. Oct 2007. 7(8) : 51-55.
2. Murphy D. Low level laser therapy part II. Practical Pain Management. Nov/Dec 2007. 7(9) : 81-84.
3. Dyson M. SPIE Proceedings. Volume 6140. 2005.
4. Rockhind S et al. Effects of low power laser irradiation on the peripheral and central nerve system, cutaneous wounds and burns. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine. 1989. 9: 174.
5. Lievens P. Effects of laser treatment on the lymphatic system and wound healing. LASER Journal of the European Laser Association. 1988. 1 (2): 12-15.
6. Lievens PC. The effect of IR irradiation on the vasomotricity of the lymphatic system. Lasers in Medical Science. 1991. 6: 189-191.
7. Lievens PC. The effect of a combined HeNe and IR laser treatment on the regeneration of the lymphatic system during the process of wound healing. Lasers in Medical Science. 1991. 6: 193-199.
8. Yamamoto H et al. Pain Clinic. 1987. 8: 43-48. (In Japanese).
9. Bradley P. Thermographic evaluation of response to low level laser acupuncture. Proc. Second Meeting of the International Laser Therapy Association. London Sept 1992. p 32.
10. Wakabayashi H et al. Effect of radiation by semiconductor laser on responses evoked in trigeminal caudal neurons by tooth pulp stimulation. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine. 1993. 13 (6): 605-610.
11. Ohno T. [Pain suppressive effects of low power laser irradiation. A quantitative analysis of substance P in the rat dorsal spinal root ganglion]. Nippon Ika Daigaku Zasshi. (J Japanese Med School) 1979. 64 (5): 395-400. (In Japanese with English abstract).
12. Tsuchiya K et al. Diode laser irradiation selectively diminishes slow component of axonal volleys to dorsal roots from the saphenous nerve in the rat. Neuroscience Letters. 1993. 161: 65-68.
13. Tuner J and Hode L. The Laser Therapy Handbook. Prima Books. 2004. Sweden. p 333.
14. Montesinos M et al. Experimental effects of low power laser in encephalin and endorphin synthesis. LASER Journal of the European Laser Association. 1988. 1(3): 2-7.
15. Hommura A et al. Analgesic effect on GaAlAs laser irradiation on hyperalgesia in Carrageenin induced inflammation. Lasers and Surgery in Medicine. 1993. 13: 463-469.
16. Kolarova H et al. Effect of HeNe laser irradiation on phagocytic activity of leukocytes in vitro. Acta Universitatis Palackianae Olomucensis Facultatis Medicae. 1991. 129: 127-132.
17. Stadler I, Evans R, Kolb B, et al. In vitro effects of low level laser irradiation at 66o nm on peripheral blood lymphocytes. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine. 2000. 27: 255-261.

Last updated on: February 21, 2011

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