Laser Therapy for Oral Mucositis has been frequently clinically studied over the last two decades and repeatedly shown to be effective in the prevention and treatment of symptoms associated with oral mucositis. Oral mucositis is a painful and debilitating condition, which often occurs during chemotherapy and radiotherapy for head and neck tumours.

Laser Therapy for Oral Mucositis, also known as Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT), Photobiomodulation Therapy (PBMT) or Red Light Therapy, uses specific light wavelengths in the 600-1,000nm range of visible and invisible light (infrared and near infrared) to trigger a biological process of photobiomodulation,. Photobiomodulation generates energy at a mitochondrial level and angiogeneses (the formation of new blood capillaries) to intensify the healing process and reduce inflammatory conditions. Laser Therapy has become more commonly known in recent years as Photobiomodulation Therapy (PBMT) and Red Light Therapy.

Laser Therapy for Oral Mucositis is successful in the prevention and or treatment of:

  • Skin redness and burning sensations.
  • Difficulty in swallowing.
  • Swelling in the throat, mouth and tongue.
  • Pain associated with burns.
  • Accelerated healing of ulcers and burns.
  • Prevention of dry mouth..

Therapeutic Laser emits specific wavelengths into the skin, to create an increase in the production of ATP (energy) within the mitochondria at a cellular level within the dermis, which promotes an accelerated healing of damaged tissue. Low Level Laser is non-thermal, which means that is does not create heat within tissue. A treatment is without sensation, and may actually relieve pain at the same time as healing, because of a rise in endorphins and a reduction in pain receptors, also triggered by the process of Photobiomodulation Therapy.

Laser Therapy to resolve pain.

Laser Therapy for Oral Mucositis works at three fundamental levels in order to accelerate tissue repair and reduce inflammation. The treatments can also resolve or manage the pain caused by radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatments for head and neck tumours.

  1. Low Level Laser helps encourages the distribution of white blood cells to help the body heal naturally.
  2. Endorphins are naturally released into the blood stream, providing a natural pain relief treatment.
  3. Therapeutic Laser increases the production of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) at a cellular level, which is known to speed up the healing process within soft tissue.
  4. Laser Therapy also triggers a process called angiogenesis which is the formation of new blood capillaries. This in turn leads to an increased flow of blood to the site of the tissue damage, which also helps to accelerate healing.

Courses of Laser Therapy treatments for Oral Mucositis

Laser Medicine has devised a number of protocols for the prevention and / or treatment of oral mucositis, based on the vast array of clinical evidence carried out in the field.

  1. If you are currently receiving radiotherapy and chemotherapy you can take 2-3 laser treatments per week to help with the soreness, ulcers, swelling and inflammation caused by the radiotherapy. We have reason to believe that treatment in these early stages may prevent long term damage and reduce the symptoms of oral mucositis in the short term too.
  2. Post radiotherapy treatment protocols can help to resolve oral mucositis symptoms. We would recommend a course of treatments until your symptoms have resolved.
  3. Chronic oral mucositis protocols are used to address long term symptoms left over from radiotherapy and chemotherapy in the past. We have found pain levels reduced considerably with laser therapy, even 2-3 years later.

Treatments are available privately at our Harley Street, Norwich and West London clinics.

Clinical Studies: Laser Therapy for Oral Mucositis.

Clinical studies proving the effectiveness of laser therapy for oral mucositis are available to read here.

Please Call Us to discuss your specific requirements.