How does low level laser therapy- the red light of the photonic torch- applied to acupuntrue points work???

The pioneer in the field, the spark plug who initiated and led the research for NASA, is Harry Whelan, MD, Professor of Neurology, Pediatrics, and Hyperbaric (that is, involving pressures higher than normal atmospheric pressure) Medicine and the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Dr. Whelan's remarkable work- a spin off from the original projects funded by NASA and the Defence Department- is the line to produce what he calls "a paradigm shift in the entire approach to medicine," a technology whose "potential is quite endless", in providing effective alternatives to traditional medicine's "poisons and knives".When you think about it, this is huge. And not surprisingly, he was inducted into the NASA Space Technology Hall of Fame for his research into the recuperative powers of this exciting and revolutionary therapy.

Most notably, he and his team have been using LEDs with young cancer patients, the recipients of bone marrow transplants, to heal the painful throat and mouth ulcers (mucus membrane haemorrhages) and severe gastrointestinal problems frequently caused by standard treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy. As Dr. David Margolis, a pediatirc oncologist at the Children's Mercy Hospital of Wisconsin, puts it, "Some (of these) children who probably would have had to be fed intravenously because of the severe sores in their mouths have been able to eat solid food." and have seen a reduction in "the risk of infections in patients with compromised immune systems" because of their involvement with LED therapy. The application is easy: the photonic torch is simply held against the cheek once daily for about a minute and a half, and the red light penetrates deeply inside the mouth to encourage wound healing and prevent against additional sores. As a result, these children's unhappy lives are greatly improved.

Further, Dr. Whelan's brain cancer technique of using laser-light surgical probes has been improved even more with LED technology. This employs a better (i.e., longer) wavelength of light employed to remove brain tumors with lasers but in a smaller, lightweight, more efficient, and vastly cheaper unit- the smae one that can be used by regular folks in their own homes.

The military has also been proving the stunning benefits of photonic torch technology. For example, medical personnel aboard the USS Salt Lake City submarine noticed about a 50% quicker healing of crew members' wounds after they underwent LED light stimulation. Likewise, doctors at Navy Special Warfare Command center in Norfolk, VA and San Diego, CA have reported a 40% improvement in musculoskeletal injuries with such treatment. In the battlefields of the Middle East, soldiers are carrying the hand-held units to be self-sufficient- to treat their own injuries when the spasms of war around them prevent a quick dash to the nearest hospital.

As an aside, the veterinary use of LED devices has been achieving exciting results with pain and injury in horses as well. Since an animal can't suddenly feel fabulous after using a placebo, the therapy being provided must actually be causing the healing we witness.

In other words, the photonic torch works.

But how does it do that?

We've noted that the red light from light emitting diodes increases the energy inside the cell. As Dr. Whelan explains, "If you think about it, a lot of injuries result in an energy problem because the tissue is damaged, injured, and therefore has difficulties going through its normal processes of energy metabolism. Usually there's a lot of swelling, which strangles the blood vessels. You're getting inadequate oxygen and nutrients, so there's an energy crisis. " The LEDs fix the problem by stimulating the cell's energy engine, the mitochondria.

Once this occurs, various chemical events take place to cause actual physiological improvement through a functioning referred to as a photobiostimulation. New cell tissue is produced; bone tissue is demineralized, skin and blood tissue in the treated area is regenerated. Health begins to be restored.

And, in fact, it's easy to see that the effect is over and beyond what a mere needle stuck into an acupuncture point can do.

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