I started with 4 sessions on non crps sites to see if i would be able to tolerate rolfing and it is working better than anything else so far. this week i finally let the rolfer touch my legs which was very scary but he started very soft and only uses enough pressure to get relief.

in my opinion, rolfing is the best manual therapy i have had. I have had hundreds of treatments of manual work before crps.

the rolfers now use a cold laser so they dont have to go so deep.

i will keep this going as i receive further treatment.

mike

for those who are wondering how a treatment session goes...

you usually start by walking back and forth down a hallway so they can watch your gait. they then put you on a massage table and start on a specific area. they might spend the entire session on one area of the body unlike massage ware you can get the entire body worked on in an hour.

for me i can barely walk with a cane and i am limited to about 100ft a day of walking so i dont do the walk before getting on the table. i then told him to work on the hips cuz they hurt like crazy from being in bed almost 24hrs a day. everything has atrophyed so he's got a lot of work to do. unlike massage ware you can go to sleep, in rolfing its constant feedback and sometimes you have to move slightly, such as when he was woking on my IT band, he would say move your heel toward the bottom of the table slowly(you move maybe an inch or so and then slowly go back). its sorta weird how they can feel your nerves and know what type of work to do to that nerve. they also work on tendon and ligament attachments. so far i feel like i can walk slightly faster and straighter with my cane. i havent been able to raise my arm above my head for years and after one treatment i can now.

the cold laser looks like the laser at the grocery store. it shoots out a red beam. here is a cut and paste that better explains the laser.(by the way, you cant feel it-no heat).

Welcome to ColdLasers.Org. This site was created to present information about cold lasers and cold laser therapy. This site includes information about different technologies available and different style of cold laser therapy.Some sources say that cold lasers can be used for many purposes including inflammation treatment, pain treatment and stop-smoking therapy. This site will review each type of therapy and discuss treatment options and possibilities. In addition this site will review the different types of lasers and quality of lasers.

Cold laser light is:

Monochromatic (a single wavelength in the 635 to 970 nm range)
Coherent (traveling in a straight non-diverging line)
Has a wavelength in red portion of the electromagnetic spectrum (cold)
Polarized (concentrating it energy as a defined spot)
Low power level (ranging from 10 to 7500 mw)
Unlike high-power medical laser, which are widely used to safety cut and remove tissue, the Low Level Laser penetrates the surface of the skin with no heating effect or damage. The energy is directed deep into effected area stimulating the body’s cell which convert the energy into chemical energy to promote natural healing.

Cold lasers are often compared to " acupuncture with a laser beams." In most LLL treatments the laser beam is use to stimulate the body's acupoints or damanged area in an attempt to increase the blood supply to parts of the body. The energy from the laser may penetrate as deep as 2 inches into the body based on the power of the laser and other variables.

Cold Laser Therapy is considered an alternative Therapy like Acupuncture. Traditional medicine still more sever treatment options like Ultrasound And Tens. These treatment provide releif for many patients every years and may be used on combination with cold laser treatment for even better results.

Currently there are over 25 different cold lasers that have been cleared by the FDA for various types of treatments. Cold laser have been in use around the world for over 30 years and have been in use in the US for over 10 years, mostly in the veterinary field. Low level laser therapy has been proven completely safe in over 3000 worldwide studies.

The wavelenght of the laser light ranges from 635 to 970 nanometers. The power level of medical grade cold lasers ranges from 10 milliwatts to 7500 milliwatts. This energy can be created using one or an array of laser diodes. An array of lasers allows a wider treatment area. Since finding the troubled spot deep inside the tissue is "educated guess", it can be very useful to cover a larger area with an array. This increased the probability of energizing the problem area and also helps increase the energy in the area surrounding the problem area.

The average cold laser therapy session cost from 30 to 60 dollars. The average medical grade laser costs about $4000.

link to info site-
http://www.coldlasers.org/

Hi Alaska Mike,
I am glad you are using cold laser. I had used it and it really helped me too. The only thing I noticed is that I could only use it for say 10-12 minutes at each session or it would increase my pain. My chiropractor did it for me. I would still be seeing her had it not been for my never ending fighting with workers comp insurance. I hope to see her again within the next six months once the judge approves it again. Best of luck to you and let us know how you are coming along with it. Good news.
kathy d

My chiro uses cold -also called low level laser - for muscle, joint or wherever needed.

I was having some shoulder pain and 10-20 seconds on a few spots - no more pain!
plantar fasciitis -a few treatments on my foot/heal and a recommendation of arch support inserts and much better.

after learning about the laser uses I expanded my searching into infrared and near/far infrared therapies.

which got me interested in that type of heating pads vs the regular heating pads.
The detoxing properties and the deeper tissue penetration effects do make a difference for my RSI/TOS and the associated muscle soreness issues.

I found a lot of info on lasers here-
http://www.laser.nu/

Would like to know if there is a treatment protocal for cold laser?

My friend has had CRPS since 3/06. First R knee - with scs attemt it went to both feet (in OR while he was under), the last 3 months it seems to have spread to face/neck/shoulders and arms. Then last week the left foot looked like it had been placed in boiling water (massive blisters) the day after a nerve block it started to heal (just like magic).

He has been having cold laser PT (2-3 times a week) at AQ PT in Kenai. It is a long trip from Soldotna to Nikiski pool - I wonder if the cold from travel is making him worse. His dr now wants to try hot laser to see if it would help, but am concerned that it might make it worse.

Currently he is confined to a wheelchair - unable to put pressure on feet since 1/09. He gets nerve block on both side (lower back) every two months. If you have any information on the areas of treatment for cold laser I would appericate the information (just because PT has a cold laser not sure it is being used correctly). CPRS is not a normal problem.

Thank you for any infor you can offer.
Carrol

I searched on this- RSD treatment protocol for cold laser
here is the results link-
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&c...+laser&spell=1


hot laser therapy
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&c...&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

From what I have read (and unfortunately experienced) there is a a body of info contraindicating the use of cold in therapy for CRPS.

*edit*
I had no idea that it was so damaging to the tiny pain nerve fibers, and was needing to be treated differently than other pain conditions. It felt so much better when it was numb from the cold, & I had no idea that there was so much risk and damage that was occurring, accelerating this neuroinflammatory disease.

I have also tried rolfing, and it was one of the best things I ever have ever tried for improvement of function and pain control.

Sincerely,
Corinne

Just to clarify a bit -
It isn't actually a cold therapy, just that the laser is not "hot".
I believe it's called cold laser { also low level laser} because it is not like the surgical hot laser.


[Unlike high-power medical laser, which are widely used to safety cut and remove tissue, the Low Level Laser penetrates the surface of the skin with no heating effect or damage. The energy is directed deep into effected area stimulating the body’s cell which convert the energy into chemical energy to promote natural healing.]
http://www.coldlasers.org/

Thanks for clarifying cold laser vs. cyrotherapy. I wasn't paying close attention, duh I am interested in anything that would help anyone. I just saw "cold" and thought COLD and never looked back..
Corinne [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/I][/B][/QUOTE]

My daughter has RSD. Some questions to see if it would help.Do you have a SCS? how has the rolfing helped? Was it for muscle soreness, controlling spread of rsd, relaxation, or just overall general well being. She has a SCS and have to be careful so leads are not moved, but is so tense everything hurts. Regular massages do not help. Any input would be great. Thank you

i wonder why you can only handle 10-12 minutes of cold laser. my rolfing session is 90 minutes long and he uses the cold laser about half the session and like i mentioned before, i cant feel the laser. can you feel the laser?