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Cold Laser Advanced As Carpal Tunnel Treatment
Rio writes "A local6.com article tells us about how the constant pounding away at the keyboard is a literal pain for millions of people. According to an official, the cold laser technique is a medical device that will soon be used by more doctors to treat carpal tunnel syndrome. The procedure involves the use of a cold laser beam that pierces the skin and stimulates white blood cells to come to the inflamed area to reduce pain and swelling."
I would like to use a laser on my cube neighbors that pound their keys like they're attempting to push them through the desk.
Jesus saves....And takes 1/2 damage.
Mabye my immunobio knowledge isn't up to snuff, but I don't see how recruiting white blood cells to the site of an inflammation response would help to reduce swelling and pain. White blood cells ought to end up at sites of inflammation anyway.
Local6.com not being helpful in the explanation department, I checked out http://www.coldlaser.com/, only to learn the following:
"Certain wavelengths of light have the ability to penetrate high-water content material such as animal tissue. This penetration allows the process of photobiostimulation on animal cells is similar to photosynthesis in plant cells whereby light sets in motion a chain of chemical reactions. In human tissue the resulting photochemical reaction produces an increase in the cellular metabolism rate which expedites cell repair and the stimulation of several systems: the immune, lymphatic and vascular."
(http://www.coldlaser.com/services.html)
Which strikes me as silly and poorly understood. On the other hand, the treatment only costs $45, is covered by insurance, and also involves patients "learning proper posture and stress-reducing relaxation techniques," which we know from years of clinival use to be helpful, so, hey, whatever. If Dr. Smith enjoys shining lasers into his patients' wrists, power to him.
The angel in the oatmeal.
Well, I don't know about you, AC, but I'm not particularly interested in pushing paper or digging in the dirt for a living.
If you're so against technology being used to solve problems, then I think you need to give up your modern conveniences, medicine and other services, otherwise you might be considered a hypocrite.
You are in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.
In the spring of 2000, I started to develop what I believe was the beginnings of CTS in my left wrist. It was bad, too--there were some times when I had to lie in bed, cradling my arm because of the pain.
What I found extremely useful was physical therapy. My physical therapist manipulated my shoulder, which was tensed up and pinching the nerve that ran down my arm. He also provided helpful exercises for strengthening and stretching my arms and back, which was responsible for my bad posture. Really, he ran the gamut -- exercises, forced stretches, massage, electronic accupuncture, etc.
Since then, I have had occasional tingling in my arm, but no more pain.
If cold lasers work, that's great, but much of the work in my case had to be done in my shoulder, back, and posture. Without the manipulations on my shoulder and helpful advice of exercising, I probably would have reverted back if my treatments had been local to my wrist.
Karma: Chevy Kavalierma.