Class 3 Laser therapy

[FriskyDingo]

Class 3 Laser Therapy

If you are considering laser therapy then I would actually suggest avoiding it unless you can find a practitioner who uses the exact laser or a similar one to any relevant studies that involve therapeutic effects of class 3 lasers on peyronies (of which there are a few). I say this out of experience with seeing a chiropractor who uses a class 3 laser and having bought and used my own.

My experience with the chiropractor was virtually worthless. After a lot of research in the area, I concluded that he was using too weak a laser for too short of time. He was using a 20mw 660nm laser for a minute each session (although he treated multiple areas including my spine). I felt nothing, and based on studies I read, the total amount of joules administered during each application was far from therapeutic. Furthermore, I do not believe the red wavelength, as opposed to infrared, had enough depth penetration with that low power.

I then bought my own class 3 for around $4000USD. I can tell that this thing works, for some things, and maybe peyronies. The trick is though, finding the right dosage. My laser has both infrared and red, and the infrared can operate between 100mw to 500mw (500 is the threshold into class IV lasers, which are more dangerous). I tried many treatment protocols over the last few months, including those used in relevant studies, suggestions from the laser manufacturer, and protocols from chiropractors who use lasers to treat different soft tissue energies. More often than not, I felt the effect of the infrared in a bad way. I didnt 'hurt' me, or make my curvature worse, or cause shrinkage. In fact, it often made me for spongy, fuller, and even gave me more nocturnal erections. I would often feel 'something' going on in the scar tissue area, as if things were 'opening up' in a way. But it also caused really annoying irritation.  This irritation, in my opinion negated the short term benefits (which may have led to long term benefits if I continued it). Even worse, I was sure if continue irritation from continued use of the laser would make the curvature worse in the long run.

So after many trials, I have learned that it if very difficult to match the parameters of relevant studies. Its not like a supplement, where I all I need to do is a figure out their dosage and time administered and replicate. With a laser, I need to match joules per cm2 of treatment area,   and THEN try to figure out the dosage adjustment due to the point size of my laser versus the one in the study (this is complicated to calculate). Also, the studies don't explain if the patients who saw improvement felt discomfort along the way. Because I am virtually pain free, I find it hard to continue using the laser because of the irritation it causes despite its potential benefits. It just sucks that I can't somehow analyze the tissue to see if its improving despite the irritation.

That being said, I do find the laser very beneficial for other conditions. I am on feet all day and have suffered many foot aches and pains through the years. Recently, whenever I feel something like plantar fasciitis creeping up (which I have had in the past) or any tendon pain in my foot, application of the infrared laser for a few minutes makes the pain disappear the next morning. And this is consistent. So I feel that the laser is capable of pain reduction and healing, but I cant seem to figure out the right dosage for peyronies, or rather my peyronies specifically.

I know other forum members have tried laser therapy, so this is not a novel topic. This my experience, and from my experience I would suggest forgoing seeing a specialist or buying your own UNLESS you can replicate protocols and use the same laser in the relevant studies. Furthermore, I would suggest finding out whether or not irritation or discomfort is common for laser use in peyronies even if it has therapeutic effect.

This is the study I attempted to replicate (minus the shockwave part), it has been posted on this forum before:

NON-INVASIVELASER THERAPY OF MORBUS PEYRONIE - INDURATIO
PENIS PLASTICA
Miroslav Prochazka, M. D., Karel Koci, M. D.
Rehabilitation Clinic Jarov, Prague; Andrology Clinic Andromeda, Prague, Czech
Republic

In our study 40 patients have been followed for more than a five-year period. We
combine classical medicamentous techniques (colchicine, E vitamin) together
with non-invasive laser of the following parameters: probes 200 and 300 mW, 50
J/cm2 continuous mode + 50 J/cm2 with beam modulated in 5 Hz frequency in
one therapy bout. The therapy is applied 20 times in a row, twice a week as
introductory series of procedures, followed by, according to clinical results,
maintenance series of 3 - 5 procedures 2 - 3 times a year. Furthermore, we have
found useful a combination with one more kind of physiotherapy - ultrasound -
presumably due to erosion of syndesmotic conjunctions.
Results:
- 100 per cent of patients without painfull erection (mostly from second or third
procedure on, as it is usually for the pain that patients are stirred to see a doctor,
not for the deformity),
- 60 per cent of patients with significant reduction, or even fade of palpable
resistance,
- less than 30 per cent of patients with marked effect on deformity of penis in the
course of erection. Lesser effect on deformity during erection can be noticed with
patients whose palpable resistance fade away completely

To see full study: http://www.ammhealth.co.za/pdf/info/NON-INVASIVELASER%20THERAPY%20OF%20MORBUS%20PEYRONIE%20-%20INDURATIO%20PENIS%20PLASTICA.pdf

Side note: Will be adding 400mg Ubiquinol, 125mg more of elemental magnesium, 500-2000mg ALCAR, and an undetermined dosage of ALA to my supplement regime. Will report any benefits seen.