Twenty years ago, I went to a Dan Murphy seminar that changed my world.
The room had more than 100 doctors and they conducted computerized range-of-motion (ROM) and muscle strength assessments on us. We then received a brief treatment with a non-thermal, 635-nm red laser and were reassessed. Across the board, we saw significant improvements in ROM and strength. My mind was blown that I felt nothing, yet saw objective improvements. As a qualified medical evaluator (QME), I appreciated these gold standard measurements for objective improvement. Any treatment can make you “feel” better subjectively, but changing ROM and strength meant something more significant was happening.
Murphy revealed he had been using lasers since the 1980s, and used lasers daily on his brain to prevent neurodegeneration. He implored, “Even if the only person you ever used the laser on was yourself, you owe it to your family and patients to keep your brain sharp for them.”
He was persuaded by the volume of high-quality, level 1, placebo-controlled research undertaken to prove the effectiveness of the lasers and support the new, unique FDA clearances. Murphy’s statements and the objective results were enough to convince me that lasers were going to be huge. What shocked me is how slowly doctors have implemented them.
Lasers gaining momentum
By 1974, red and infrared (IR) lasers were adopted as standard medical care in the USSR because of their effectiveness.1 In contrast, a 2015 survey by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners found only 25% of DCs use red or IR lasers.
Today, we see laser interest gaining momentum. Online search trends show photobiomodulation searches increased in the last year by 32%2 and red light therapy searches by more than 83%.3 In 2023, the global laser therapy market was valued at $3 billion and is projected to grow to $5.5 billion by 2032.
In the Bon Jovi Hulu documentary “Thank You, Goodnight,” Jon uses a red and violet laser on his vocal cords to keep him performing at the top of his game. We have seen a huge boost in new patients calling in after seeing coverage like this.
Olympic gold medalist Manteo Mitchell was featured on ABC News at Michael Trayford’s Apex Brain Centers, using low-level and green violet lasers on his brain to enhance sports performance.4
In 2023, I tested low-level and green violet lasers for the Lakers trainers and Kurt Rambis. I met Lakers strength coach Randy Flores and his wife, professional crossfitter Bethany Flores. Chronic pain prevented her from competing in the world championships, so we did a trial with the low-level lasers in the office and green violet lasers at home before the Crossfit World Championships. This combo allowed her to compete without pain and finish first in the U.S. and fourth in the world. These lasers work amazingly well, and a huge buzz is occurring.
Enhanced results with high-energy green and violet wavelengths
Adding high-energy green and violet wavelengths can be a game changer to your existing laser arsenal and can act as an amazing complement to get enhanced results.
This is what Robert Silverman, DC, the American Chiropractic Association’s 2015 sports chiropractor of the year and New York Times best-selling author, and I have seen firsthand over the past five years as we conducted peer-reviewed research and earned the newest FDA clearance5 for laser therapy.
While 75% of DCs barely learned about red and IR, we are going into the next generation of lasers, which are high-energy (eV) wavelengths and their unique applications that are different from red and IR or high-power devices.
Unique to violet is the highest energy of 3.1 eV per photon and the ability to impact complexes 1 and 2 of the electron transport chain (ETC)). Green, at 2.4 eV, can impact complex 3.6 These are rate-limiting steps for complex 4 to make adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in the mitochondria. These steps are negatively impacted by many substances, such as NSAIDs, aspirin, opioids, processed foods, alcohol and smoking as well as common lifestyle factors. Red and IR impact complex 4 only.
Red lasers have an eV of 1.9, which is above the 1.7 threshold that triggers electron jumps. If the eV is below that, you cannot trigger electron jump reactions. The reactions are photothermal and photomechanical7 in IR lasers, so adding green and violet will help your patient in a different and complementary way.
Wavelength-specific reactions
The easiest example to use to understand wavelength-specific reactions is a jaundiced baby. Hospitals have put them under blue light for decades to cure it. Similarly, to produce melanin and vitamin D, you need an ultraviolet (UV) bed, not red or IR. Different wavelengths get different effects, and a shallow-penetrating UV photon can cause systemic changes as deep as the bones.
The high energy of violet wavelengths led to FDA clearances for its use on nail fungus and acne, as well as for enhanced ROM and pain reduction8 and helps break down scar tissue. Studies on green show it effective for collagen and elastin production and had a bigger impact on stem cells, osteoblasts9 and nerve regeneration10 compared to other wavelengths.
In our study, we had patients with a minimum of five years of chronic, daily, neck/shoulder pain of at least a 5/10 on a visual analog scale (VAS). We applied green violet laser therapy to each shoulder and to the head. Subjects were assessed for ROM, muscle strength and VAS immediately before and after treatment. They completed follow-up VAS at home at 24 and 48 hours.
The results with the green violet lasers exceeded our expectations. Even though I have seen amazing results over the past 20 years with college and pro athletes and world record holders, these results were so good I was not sure the FDA would believe them.
FDA success criteria requires a 30% pain reduction. Eighty-one percent of the green violet laser therapy subjects met that threshold. Average pain reduction for the green violet lasers was 52%, and ROM improvement with green violet laser therapy was 32% on average. At the 24- and 48-hour follow-up, 100% of green violet lasers therapy subjects had experienced pain reduction.
Final thoughts
Patients love to be part of what is “new.” They get excited about it and love to talk to their friends. They tell their friends to “make sure they use all three wavelengths on you,” which is more than you will get anywhere else. Being an early adopter of technology gives you and your practice an advantage over your competition.
KIRK GAIR, DC, has been using lasers since 2004 and lecturing internationally since 2017. He has published several research papers on laser, including the peer reviewed study that led to the first FDA clearance for a green and violet laser for chronic neck and shoulder pain. Gair has a private practice near Los Angeles and has treated elite athletes from the NFL, MLB, NCAA and track world record holders for injuries and sports performance enhancement with lasers. To share treatment tips and learn more about lasers, join his Facebook group: Dr Gair’s Laser Therapy Treatment and Marketing Secret. For more information, call 626-338-3600 and visit laserchiropractic.net.
References
- Moskvin SV. Low-level laser therapy in Russia: History, science and practice. J Lasers Med Sci. 2017;8(2):56-65. PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28652897/. Accessed September 9, 2024.
- Photobiomodulation. Glimpse. https://meetglimpse.com/trend/photobiomodulation/. Accessed September 9, 2024.
- Red Light Therapy. Glimpse. https://meetglimpse.com/trend/red-light-therapy/. Accessed September 9, 2024.
- Womack C. Olympian Manteo Mitchell embracing brain training in preparations for winter games. June 6, 2024. ABC 13 News. https://wlos.com/sports/game-changer/olympian-manteo-mitchell-embracing-brain-training-in-preparations-for-winter-games. Accessed September 9, 2024.
- FDA Section 510(k) premarket notification. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cdrh_docs/pdf22/K221987.pdf. Accessed September 9, 2024.
- The Mammalian Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain. Walter Waimio. 1970.
- The Laser Therapy Handbook: A Guide for Research Scientists, Doctors, Dentists, Veterinarians and Other Interested Parties Within the Medical Field. Tuner and Hode. 2004.
- Silverman RG, et al. Effects of a single treatment with two nonthermal laser wavelengths on chronic neck and shoulder pain. Med Devices (Auckl). 2019;12:319-325. PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31564998/. Accessed September 9, 2024.
- Merigo E, et al. Green laser light irradiation enhances differentiation and matrix mineralization of osteogenic cells. J Photochem Photobiol B. 2016;155:130-136. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26732735/. PubMed. Accessed September 9, 2024.
- Yashchyshyn Z, et al. The effect of laser radiation on glial fibrillary acidic protein and allograft inflammatory factor-1 expression in severed and surgically repaired sciatic nerve. Int J Physiol Pathophysiol Pharmacol. 2023;15(4):115-124. PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37736502/. Accessed September 9, 2024.