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Other common name(s):
low level laser therapy (LLLT), low power laser therapy (LPLT), soft
laser, biostimulation laser, therapeutic laser, laser acupuncture
Scientific/medical name(s):
none
DESCRIPTION / OVERVIEW
The term cold laser refers to the use of low-intensity or low
levels of laser light. Proponents claim that cold laser therapy can
reduce pain and inflammation. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
considers these laser devices investigational (experimental), and
allows them to be used in studies based on some evidence that they may
provide temporary pain relief. Cold laser treatment is thought to help
some types of pain, inflammation, and wound healing, although stronger
proof is needed. These lasers are used directly on or over the affected
area.
Cold lasers are also sometimes used for acupuncture, with
laser beams to stimulate the body's acupoints rather than needles (see
Acupuncture).
This treatment regimen appeals to those who want
acupuncture but who fear the pain of needles.
Cold laser therapy providers advertise this method as a way to
help people quit smoking, and some TV stations have reported this as
news. The treatment is supposed to relax the smoker and release
endorphins (naturally-occurring pain relief substances) in the body to
simulate the effects of nicotine in the brain, or balance the body’s
energy to relieve the addiction. Despite claims of success by some cold
laser therapy providers, available scientific evidence does not support
claims that this is an effective method of helping people stop smoking.
There is a great deal of variation in types of lasers that are
used and how they are used. Some devices do not have the output that
they promise, and others are little more than light-emitting diodes
(LED lights). Some advertise that they can help herpes, high blood
pressure, migraines, wrinkles, cerebral palsy, and other conditions for
which there is little or no evidence. The FDA forbids statements that a
treatment can help or cure diseases if scientific studies have not
found it to be true. It has warned at least one seller of low level
lasers to stop making such claims.
Well-controlled scientific studies are underway using reliable
low level laser devices for pain, wounds, injuries, and other
conditions. If these studies show positive results, certain types of
cold laser treatment may eventually become part of conventional medical
care.
This method should not be confused with conventional laser
surgery, which is used as a proven treatment for some cancers. Hot
lasers may be used to shrink or destroy tumors on the skin or on the
surfaces of internal organs. They are sometimes used to remove colon
polyps or tumors that are blocking the windpipe, colon, or stomach.
They can help relieve symptoms of cancer, such as bleeding. Laser
surgery for cancer is usually combined with other treatments such as
conventional surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy.
Additional Resources
More Information From Your
American Cancer Society
The following information on complementary and alternative
therapies may also be helpful to you. These materials may be ordered
from our toll-free number (1-800-ACS-2345).
References
National Cancer Institute. Lasers in Cancer Treatment:
Questions and Answers. Available at:
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Therapy/lasers. Accessed
3/29/07.
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Energy Medicine: An Overview. Available at:
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/backgrounds/energymed.htm. Accessed
3/29/07.
Rindge D. Laser Acupuncture. Acupuncture Today.
2005 May; 06(5). Available at:
http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=30129.
Accessed 3/29/07.
Swedish Laser Medical Society. Available at:
http://www.laser.nu/lllt/LLLT_critic2_on_critics.htm. Accessed 3/29/07.
Tuner J. Low level lasers in dentistry. Available at:
http://www.laser.nu/index.htm. Accessed 3/29/07.
US Food and Drug Administration. Laser Facts. Available at:
http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/consumer/laserfacts.html. Accessed 3/29/07.
White AR, Rampes H, Campbell JL. Acupuncture and related
interventions for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2006
Jan 25;(1):CD000009.
Note: This information may not
cover all possible claims, uses, actions, precautions, side effects or
interactions. It is not intended as medical advice, and should not be
relied upon as a substitute for consultation with your doctor, who is
familiar with your medical situation.
Revised: 05/23/2007
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