Private Podiatry and Chiropody Care in  Cambridge  & Sandy Bedfordshire UK

A comprehensive service for all your foot care needs

Cambridgeshire Foot Clinic
20 Chesterton Road, Cambridge
CB4 3AX

Tel: Cambridge: 01223 358431 Sandy: 01767 681704

Mobile: 07562 748352

LASER THERAPY

With widespread recognition of the reliable benefits, we are seeing particularly rapid growth in the use of low level lasers in the field of Podiatry. With mounting clinical evidence of Low Level Laser Therapy’s (LLLT’s) effectiveness on a diverse range of conditions, podiatry clinics and departments across the country are choosing Laser Therapy.

Podiatry is perhaps the discipline with the highest proportion of conditions for which LLLT is relevant and highly effective. With increasing take-up, the therapy is now moving from being a point of  difference in terms of podiatry services offered, to being established as part of the norm in a number of areas.

Leg Ulcers

Laser therapy is regularly used in the NHS and private clinics for fast resolution of leg ulcers with improved tensile strength of repair tissue. Laser can frequently speed up the granulation and epithelialisation phase or, in ulcers that are healing poorly or not at all, activate them. It improves particularly micro- blood circulation and that of the lymph system, activates anti-oedematous processes, promotes cellular egeneration and inhibits inflammation.

Verrucae Treatment

Verruca is a complex treatment case but can respond very well to laser therapy. In terms of effectiveness, in a properly controlled 1996 double blind trial, 60% of verrucae cases were resolved as opposed to 17% in the placebo group. Laser therapy is no less effective overall than any other treatment but equally will not be fully successful in every case. However, it has a number of advantages over alternative treatments and no symptomatic disadvantages. It can also be beneficially used in conjunction with cryo-surgery.

Not only is the treatment pain-free but it actually delivers pain relief, is non-invasive and is without unpleasant side effects, making it particularly well received by patients. There is never tissue damage or scarring. In fact, it can help reduce scarring from previous treatments. Laser therapy does not rely on patient compliance, other than appointment attendance, with no post-treatment complications and it is ideal for the treatment of children and nervous patients.

The number of treatments required varies case by case, with some resolving in one session but others requiring, at the extreme, 10 treatments.

Achilles Tendonitis

Laser therapy is particularly effective in the early stages of inflammation of the Achilles tendon and sheath when it is recommended as a sole measure. Treatment would involve the lower calf muscle area plus any tender trigger points being lasered every other day for a couple of weeks. Helpful muscle relaxation is best achieved by also lasering relevant acupuncture points. With more acute cases, although some can be brought to resolution with the optimisation of the healing processes, in many laser therapies will act as a complementary measure and be used for drug-free pain management and reduction of inflammation.

Plantar Fasciitis

With its ability to reduce inflammation and ease pain, laser therapy achieves good results in the treatment of plantar fasciitis where it stimulates the fibroblasts for a faster regeneration of connective tissue structures in the tendon. Treatment generally involves direct application to the heel with an infra-red probe to be repeated every 2-3 days for 2-3 weeks.

Fungal Nail

An effective treatment for restoring fungal infected and thickened discoloured nails.

Thickened discoloured nails can be unsightly and difficult to cut and maintain. Topical medications alone are often ineffective at treating the problem as they are unable to penetrate the overly thickened dead part of the nail. Oral medication requires a lengthy period of medicating and can have significant side effects and even then often fail to solve the problem.

We prepare the nails using specialist equipment to remove the thickened top layer and reduce the nails to a standard thickness. This usually removes much of the discoloured nail leaving the Patient with a much improved visual enhancement and aiding future cutting and comfort.

For this treatment we use two Laser applications. Firstly a special probe to treat the newly exposed surface. We then retreat the infected nails with a penetrative probe of invisible light to treat into the nail, the underlying bed and root. This treatment is completely pain free and safe.

Following treatment you will be required to topically medicate the treated nails to protect them from further infection until your follow up appointment in 2 months time. Depending upon the severity of the problem further treatments may be required