RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND OSTEOARTHRITIS

The two most common forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis (autoimmune joint inflammation that often affects the hands and feet). Osteoarthritis (OA) affects more than 3.8% of the population while rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects about 0.24%. Both types have been successfully treated with photobiomodulation, otherwise known as Low-level Laser Therapy.¹

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OSTEOARTHRITIS

In normal joints, cartilage covers the end of each bone, and this provides a smooth, gliding surface for joint motion and acts as a cushion between the bones. In Osteoarthritis (OA), the cartilage breaks down, causing pain, swelling and problems moving the joint. As OA worsens over time, bones may break down and develop growths called spurs. Bits of bone or cartilage may chip off and float around in the joint. This can cause inflammation and further damage the cartilage. In the final stages of OA, the cartilage wears away and bone rubs against bone, leading to joint damage and more pain. When OA becomes severe, other than treating symptoms with pain medications, the remedy most often prescribed is joint replacement.²

Treatment with coMra therapy can provide significant relief from pain and reduction of inflammation. Studies have noted a reduction of pain and an increase in physical functionality in osteoarthritis of the hands and knees when patients were treated with ultrasound and low-level laser therapy.^3,4

Depending on the location of the pain and other symptoms, a variety of coMra therapy protocols may be indicated. Some of these may include:

• Traumatology 7 – Wrists
• Traumatology 8 – Hands and fingers
• Traumatology 9 – Hips
• Traumatology 10 – Knees
• Traumatology 11 – Ankles
• Traumatology 16 – Jaw

An excellent protocol to include is Universal 3 (Blood) – you can read more about this here. Alternatively, you can treat the artery point closest to the painful area for 2 minutes at 5Hz.

Universal 4 (Somatic Biostimulation Routine 1) is also an excellent protocol to incorporate as this supports the overall vitality of your system. Read more about this protocol here.

For more detailed guidance on treating pain please refer to our booklet, Guide to coMra Therapy.

RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the joints. This creates inflammation that causes the tissue that lines the inside of joints to thicken, resulting in swelling and pain in and around the joints. If inflammation goes unchecked, it can damage cartilage as well as the bones themselves. Over time, there is loss of cartilage, and the joint spacing between bones can become smaller. Joints can become loose, unstable, painful and lose their mobility. RA most commonly affects the joints of the hands, feet, wrists, elbows, knees and ankles, and is usually symmetrical. Because RA can also affect body systems, such as the cardiovascular or respiratory system, it is called a systemic disease.⁵

coMra therapy has proven very effective in the treatment of many autoimmune conditions and has extensive Autoimmune treatment protocols in the User Guide. These are often used in conjunction with the Universal Treatments such as Universal 3 (Blood) and Universal 5 (Somatic Biostimulation Routine 2).

For chronic and long-term Rheumatoid Arthritis, coMra therapy treatment would consist of Autoimmune 1 (which is also used for Lupus, Lyme Disease and Chronic Fatigue) along with localised treatment of painful or inflamed areas, such as joints. If the Rheumatoid Arthritis is more recent and less severe, localised treatment along with Universal 3 (Blood) is usually sufficient.

¹ Mechanisms and applications of the anti-inflammatory effects of photobiomodulation (2017)
² Arthritis By The Numbers³ Synergic effects of ultrasound and laser on the pain relief in women with hand osteoarthritis
⁴ Ultrasound plus low-level laser therapy for knee osteoarthritis rehabilitation: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial
⁵ Arthritis By The Numbers