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Author Archives: James Carroll
BMJ says Death from opioid pain relievers is an epidemic in the USA
The BMJ reported that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had declared there was a national epidemic of prescription drug overdoses which led to 14,800 deaths in 2008. This is more than cocaine and heroin combined for the same period. If you think this an exaggeration click here to see the full government report.
They highlight the following key points :
- Death from opioid pain relievers (OPR) is an epidemic in the United States.
- Sales of OPR quadrupled between 1999 and 2010.
- Enough OPRs were prescribed last year to medicate every American adult for a month
- Abuse of OPRs costs health insurers approximately $72.5 billion annually in health-care costs.
And just in case you were not astonished already, I will remind those of you that have not heard me say it before that NSAIDs were the 15th biggest cause of death in the USA according to the New England Journal of Medicine 1999. Unfortunately there is no abstract so I am going to show you a little snip from the … Continue reading
Posted in Rants
on BMJ says Death from opioid pain relievers is an epidemic in the USA
Low Level Laser Therapy LLLT / Cold Laser Literature watch for August 2012
Here is the rather late August LLLT / cold laser literature watch and its another juicy one. 42 papers for you to review including a triple blind oral mucositis study on 221 patients, acute low back pain dose response study, a systematic review on breast cancer-related lymphedema, periodontal LLLT in patients with diabetes, and a study of the safety of red light phototherapy of tissues harboring cancer.
Posted in Research
on Low Level Laser Therapy LLLT / Cold Laser Literature watch for August 2012
In Memoriam Professor Isaac Kaplan: 1919 – 2012
Isaac Kaplan was not an LLLT guru but the first surgical laser pioneer. As you will see below he was a tremendous figure, well known and much loved. I will leave it to Glen to tell his story but will add one anecdote of my own which Isaac told me:
Many decades ago Isaac was the guest of honour at a dinner in China where upon he alone was served a grand imperial treat called Emperors Soup. The hosts and other guests gathered around to watch in awe as he enjoyed this great delicacy. As Isaac gazed into his soup he saw something moving. Nervously, he picked up his spoon and, bringing the offending creature to the surface, wondered if he should call the waiter to complain. But, as he looked around, he saw the faces of his audience full of delight and encouragement, fervently hoping he would enjoy the wriggling delicacies. He dutifully ate them, attempting to show his enjoyment. Later, he eventually summoned up the courage to ask what he had consumed. It turned … Continue reading
Posted in Special Feature
on In Memoriam Professor Isaac Kaplan: 1919 – 2012
The demographic timebomb is ticking and so is the future for LLLT
I went to the Healthy Nation conference in London last Wednesday where the Rt Hon Stephen Dorrell MP, Chair of the House of Commons Health Select Committee was interviewed by Victoria Macdonald, Health and Social Care correspondent, Channel 4 News
He said that demands on the UK NHS have been rising at a rate of 4% a year since 1965 but the budget for health had increased at a rate of only 3% a year over the same period and it can’t be raised any more. To make the challenge even harder, our Chancellor of the Exchequer (George Osborne) has announced plans to save £20 billion in the NHS by 2014
I have done some sums and worked out the following:
At the time of the invention of our NHS, the average school leaving age was 15, people worked until 65 and died shortly after. So they were productive and paying taxes for about 50 years. On the flip side they were non-productive and somewhat of a burden to the state (in education or healthcare or state … Continue reading
Low Level Laser Therapy LLLT / Cold Laser Literature watch for July 2012
Here is July’s LLLT / cold laser literature watch and it’s a juicy one. 41 papers for you to review including several dental/oral applications, a systematic review on LLLT for OA (note how well the LED study performs), an amazing post hemilaminectomy pain study (a THOR study, I might add) and another TBI review from Mike Hamblin’s lab.
Posted in Research
on Low Level Laser Therapy LLLT / Cold Laser Literature watch for July 2012
A new treatment protocol using XR3T-1 photobiomodulation for stroke patient
The XR3T-1 device is a rebadged THOR system. I trained Ab Boonswang and the ATA clinic staff in LLLT and the device was used off label for this application. Our FDA clearance is for temporary relief of muscle and joint pain. We have CE mark for Europe and TGA for Australia. These points were not made clear in the BMJ article.
A couple of minor technical points: There is an error in the technical description of the LED treatment head, the reported spot size of 0.196 cm2 should have been started as “per diode” of which there are 69. The total power was 1390mW (not 1400 as reported) which should be divided by the number of LEDs to get an average : 1390mW/ 69 LEDs / 0.196 each LED = an average power density of approx 100mW/cm2. Some would argue that the way to report power density of a cluster is total power by total area of the array in which case the power density would be approx 50mW/cm2.
Congratulations to Dr Boonswang on getting this … Continue reading
Posted in Research
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Lasers at the olympics
I know of at least 3 teams using THOR lasers at the London Olympics
GB, USA and Australia.
Who else do you know here with a THOR ?
Posted in Special Feature
on Lasers at the olympics