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Author Archives: James Carroll
BMJ snubs LLLT for neck pain again, but gives drugs with no evidence a pass
As reported here in 2013 there are no licensed drugs for non-specific neck pain because “there isn’t much specific research that shows drugs help neck pain”. For LLLT/PBM however, there are at least 16 (mostly positive) RCTs and a positive systematic review published in The Lancet. Despite this unequivocal evidence, the 2014 revised patient advice leaflet from the BMJ fails to mention LLLT/PBM but states “your doctor may recommend one or more of the following” and goes on to list pain killers, NSAIDs, antidepressants and muscle relaxants”.
Last year I pursued someone at the BMJ, supplied them with the necessary data including controversial papers and rebuttals (5 months ahead of online publication on their own website). I obtained confirmation it was … Continue reading
Posted in Rants
on BMJ snubs LLLT for neck pain again, but gives drugs with no evidence a pass
Pubmed to adopt “Photobiomodulation Therapy” as a MeSH term
The US National Library of Medicine (NLM) plans to adopt “Photobiomodulation Therapy” (PBMT) as an official MeSH term in November 2015.
Why this is important?
Posted in THE FUTURE OF PBM/LLLT
on Pubmed to adopt “Photobiomodulation Therapy” as a MeSH term
LLLT and Roberta Chow in the news “Laser therapy: making light of hidden pain”
Some mornings before he went to work at UBS, Paul Barton was in such pain he would hobble or even crawl to the bathroom.
Once his medication had taken effect, he was functional and could manipulate his painful feet into his business shoes.
His next challenge was to get to the waiting taxi, which he shared with two other bankers, for the daily ride into the city.
Never disclosing his discomfort and shrugging off his limp as an old sporting injury, he would dread the walk across the foyer to the lifts at Sydney’s Chifley Tower.
By the time he made it to his desk in the equities advisory team, he was ready to stay put all morning.
Posted in Interviews
on LLLT and Roberta Chow in the news “Laser therapy: making light of hidden pain”
THOR LLLT presentation at United Nations – Global Health Impact Forum
This 15 minute video starts with an overview of Photobiomodulation and low level light therapy. Later in the presentation James introduces the Lumithera treatment for Dry Age related Macular Degeneration (AMD).
Transcranial LLLT for Chronic mild Traumatic Brain Injury
The VA, Boston University and Harvard Medical School published the results of a Transcranial LLLT (LED) pilot study on mild Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Incredibly; TBI is a leading cause of death and disability among children and young adults in the United States. Each year an estimated 1.5 million Americans sustain a TBI, 50,000 people die as a consequence, 230,000 are hospitalized and an estimated 5.3 million currently live with a permanent TBI-related disability (because there is no cure). This study showed significant improvement in Executive Function, Verbal Learning, Long Delay Free Recall and fewer post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Participants and family reported better ability to perform social, interpersonal, and occupational functions. This was a small pilot study on just eleven patients with chronic mTBI, there was no placebo control group so further studies are necessary to truly establish the effect size.
Posted in Research
on Transcranial LLLT for Chronic mild Traumatic Brain Injury
More Class IV laser therapy misinformation
The paper “High-intensity versus low-level laser therapy in the treatment of patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial” Kheshie et al 2014 pitches the 3B BTL laser against the HIRO class IV “High intensity” laser. The results appear to show that the HIRO class IV “High intensity laser” was more effective than the “Low Level Laser”. HOWEVER, the HIRO class IV “High intensity” laser was delivered over a large area (not adequately defined but approx 100cm2 by my estimation) so the intensity was actually very low (about 13mW/cm2 which is less than most LED systems), and the 3B BTL “Low Level Laser” was actually very high (4 x 200mW small, high intensity beams) and were held stationary on the patella for over half an hour, YES, HALF AN HOUR IN ONE SPOT! This is insane.
This paper leads people to think that the class … Continue reading
Posted in Rants
on More Class IV laser therapy misinformation
Two Special Conferences
A joint meeting of the North American Association for Laser Therapy (NAALT) and the World Association for Laser Therapy (WALT) in Washington DC, USA in 9-12 September 2014. click here. Call for abstracts is still open.
The Optical Society of America hosts “LLLT – the path forward” : LLLT/PBM, is will soon be 50 years old. Hundreds of positive clinical trials and thousands of laboratory studies have been published yet it has not been adopted by mainstream medicine. This meeting will address the reasons for this failure and identify paths forward. Washington DC 20-22 August 2014. This is a small invited guests only meeting, if you would like an invitation then submit your credentials here for consideration.
Posted in Conference
on Two Special Conferences