Deirdre O’Shaughnessy reports on Low Intensity Laser Therapy, Galway’s newest pain relief treatment

Laser therapy, not to be confused with laser hair removal, is relatively new to Ireland, but has been practised widely in Canada for a number of years.

While it’s regarded as an alternative therapy, practitioners say there is a sound scientific basis for the process, which promises to relieve pain with a 95 per cent cure rate.

According to Meditech, the company, which has developed the technology, ‘Laser therapy is the use of monochromatic light emission from a low intensity laser diode (250 milliwatts or less) or any array of high intensity Super Luminous Diodes (providing total optical power in the 1000-2000 milliwatt range) to treat musculoskeletal injuries, chronic and degenerative conditions and to heal wounds.

‘The light source is placed in contact with the skin allowing the photon energy to penetrate the tissue, where it interacts with various intracellular biomolecules, resulting in the restoration of normal cell function and enhancement of the body’s healing processes.’

It can be used to treat many different conditions, such as repetitive stress injury, carpal tunnel syndrome, rotator cuff tear, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, headaches and migraines, and many others.

Salthill native Gemma O’Grady recently opened the Galway Laser Therapy Clinic. While clinical studies have varied on the treatment’s effectiveness, it certainly has its devotees.

Having recently had surgery, resulting in some muscle and nerve damage and constant pain, I’m a textbook candidate for the new treatment. After years of being talked down to by doctors and physiotherapists, I know my condition inside out, and I’m also something of a sceptic, so I’m a challenge to any medical professional.

However, as a qualified massage therapist and a current student of Neuromuscular Therapy, Gemma is both enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the ins and outs of pain and treatment. And, most importantly, she consults in detail with the client before and during the treatment.

The procedure is not in the least invasive, involving ‘Bioflex’ pads containing light-emitting lasers, which are placed over the affected area for specific periods of time. The only sensation from the lasers is a slight warmth.

It also involves more specific work on sensitive areas with what looks like a laser ‘pen’. Depending on how painful your condition or how sensitive the area, this can be slightly uncomfortable.

The added benefit of Gemma’s massage experience is a blessing, as it means she can also work specifically on tight or cramped muscle groups and give instant relief this way, which adds to the overall experience.

Despite my scepticism, I couldn’t deny a definite improvement in the days after my first session. The nerves that were damaged after my operation were less sensitive than before and certainly did not wake me at night as they had been doing. A little stiffness is likely after the session, but a well-applied ice pack soon sorts that out.

While the results have varied in effectiveness after each of my five sessions, I can definitely say I have noticed a positive, if slight, difference after the treatment. At between €40 and €70 it is not cheap, but neither is any other pain treatment, such as physiotherapy or acupuncture.

If, like me, you have been in and out of various clinics and consultancies for years, and mainstream medicine is not working for you, laser therapy might just be the solution for you.

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