Laser to Enhance Fertility
Acupuncture Northwest & Associates (with clinics in Seattle, Tacoma and Bellevue) offers PhotoBioModulation for fertility.
PhotoBioModulation includes low level laser therapy (LLLT) or cold laser:
- directed laser using a Powermedic wand laser and
- indirect using the Celluma LED Infrared therapy (an LED panel)
to help people reach their dreams of having a baby.
We use coherent, directed red and infrared therapy with a Powermedic class 3B laser that penetrates deeply into the body. We also use a red and infrared Celluma LED panel that provides treatment to a wider treatment area. Together, both methods provide red and infrared light to fuel the mitochondria and cells to help them function properly. As eggs age, they have less energy to do the hard work of going from egg to baby. LLLT brings more energy to the eggs to help them do this work.
Photobiomodulation therapy can be used for all aspects of fertility but we see the best results when used to improve egg and sperm quality.
What low level laser therapy (LLLT) has been shown to do for fertility:
- Increases Mitochondrial Function and ATP production
- Regulates inflammation
- Increases blood flow to ovaries and uterus
- Decreases stress and oxidative stress
- Softening scar tissue and adhesions
How Does It Work?
LLLT emits readily absorbable infrared light into your body, which your body than turns into usable energy. This can help reverse the aging process by increasing ATP production (the cell's energy). This is exactly what aging eggs need - more energy to divide properly and make a healthy baby.
Laser is particularly effective for:
- Patients over 35.
- Diminished Ovarian Reserve
- PCOS
The Protocol
Laser (directed infrared with the Powermedic 3B laser and diffuse infrared with the Celluma LED panel) should be done twice a week - pre-ovulation only.
You can have it done in the clinic (please note that insurance doesn't cover this) and/or you can buy a Celluma panel for home.
Cost:
- $75 for laser wand treatment and 20-25 minutes with the Celluma LED panel.
- $45 for the laser wand treatment. It takes 5-10 minutes.
- $30 for the Celluma LED panel.
You can do this with or without acupuncture.
The Research
The research on LLLT (infrared therapy) and fertility is growing. The first study out of Japan showed that low level light therapy brought many women out of menopause! This study published in 1996 began the rush to find out how effective infrared therapy could be for fertility. Below is a list of studies about low level laser (infrared) therapy and fertility.
Dr. Toshio Ohshiro's 2012 research: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24610987/
https://powermedic.com/en/laser-therapy-and-fertility-in-practice/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0079610718301573
https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(08)01852-9/fulltext
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/islsm/25/3/25_16-AB-01/_pdf
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/islsm/15/1/15_1_37/_pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5108999/pdf/islsm-25-229.pdf
