Re: Alternative therapies

[Tivers <Tivers@aol.com>]

In a message dated 98-04-17 11:19:09 EDT, lcorry@velaw.com writes:

<< 	So which is more beneficial -- laser therapy or magnetic therapy?
 Which works better/faster?  Has anybody out there experimented?
 
 Lynda Corry >>

We've done several thermographic studies (25 head of racehorses in training)
and, except for increasing the rate of healing of cuts and abrasions, found no
efficacy (inflammation reduction) in any of the devices we tested, magnetic or
laser. One LED device did show inflammatin reduction, but there was a big
question as to whether this was due to the light effect or to the applied
heat--the pad got real hot and was placed directly on the treated area.

One very expensive laser device showed an immediate rise in joint/tendon
inflammation with treatment, then a rapid reduction thereafter.

The problem is that all of these stories, and our testing, do not look at what
is actually happening with the tissues treated. There is at least one paper
suggesting that, while edema may be lessened with lasers, the underlying
treated tissues (tendons in this case) become weaker.

ti