Cold Laser

14 October, 2025


If you’re living with pain, stiffness, or recovering from an injury, you might be looking for safe, non-invasive ways to support your body’s healing. Cold laser therapy (also called low-level laser therapy or LLLT) is an approach that helps your body recover at the cellular level, without drugs or surgery.


What Is Cold Laser Therapy?

Cold laser therapy uses gentle, focused light to stimulate your cells. Unlike surgical lasers, it doesn’t cut or burn. Instead, it encourages your cells to produce more energy, helping them repair tissue, reduce inflammation, and regenerate faster.

Imagine giving your cells a little boost so they can do what they already know how to do—heal themselves.


How It Works—Simple Science

Every cell in your body has tiny energy factories called mitochondria. These mitochondria generate the energy your cells need to function, repair, and regenerate. Cold laser therapy activates these energy factories, helping cells work faster and more efficiently. The result can be:

  • Less pain

  • Reduced inflammation & oxidative stress

  • Faster tissue repair

  • Improved movement and function

  • Improved immunity

In essence, it helps the body do what it does better!


Where Science Supports Cold Laser Therapy

Research shows it can be helpful for:

  • Muscle and joint pain (like back, neck and shoulders)

  • Tendon or ligament injuries (like tennis elbow or Achilles tendonitis)

  • Arthritis and osteoarthritis

  • Nerve pain (like sciatica or neuropathy)

  • Wound healing and tissue repair

There’s increasing research looking at mitochondrial dysfunction as a driver of chronic, inflammatory and neurodegenerative conditions such as:

  • Neurodegenerative

  • Ageing

  • Migraines

  • Gut-Brain dysfunction

  • Chronic fatigue

  • Chronic pain

Early research suggests it may also help with:

  • Headaches and migraines

  • Carpal tunnel syndrome

  • Chronic inflammation

  • Sports recovery and faster post-exercise healing


Why People Use Cold Laser Therapy

Many people choose cold laser therapy because it is:


How to Prepare for a Laser Treatment?

  • Appropriate clothing: please wear clothes so that the body part(s) to be treated are easily accessible. If you need, we do have gowns that can be worn but most people are more comfortable to wear shorts, sports bra, take their t-shirt off, etc.

  • Avoid lotions: avoid using thick or heavy oils and creams on the skin which may impact laser penetration in the hours prior to your treatment.

  • Arrive on time: to reduce stress, we suggest arriving a few minutes early so that you can start your laser feeling relaxed and ready for rejuvenation


How can I support myself after a laser session?

  • Drink water – help your cells flush out toxins.

  • Rest – let your body do its healing work.

  • Gentle movement – light stretching or walking aids recovery.

  • Follow your plan – multiple sessions often give the best results.

  • Sleep, eat well, manage stress – your body heals best when supported.

Cold laser therapy helps your body heal from the inside out—these simple steps help it work even better!

Can I exercise after Cold Laser treatment?

Unlike many other therapies, there's no downtime after cold laser so you can exercise immediately afterwards if you’d like.


Is Laser for Everyone?

Laser is very safe for most people. Like everything, it's not suitable for everyone and the settings need to be adapted to the correct diagnosis.


Appointments available in Moonee Ponds or online.


About the Author

Dr Cassie

Dr Cassie Atkinson-Quinton - Chiropractor, Brain Health Coach & Biofeedback Practitioner

Dr Cassie is a Chiropractor and Brain Health Coach. Having a special interest in treating nerves and brain-based conditions like nerve pain, chronic pain, dizziness, whiplash, migraines and fibromyalgia. She's one of a handful of practitioners to be trained in Neuro-Rehabilitation, Neurofeedback, QEEG Functional Brain Scans and Brain Health Coaching. She’s had concussions and atypical migraines as well as a vestibular disorder called Labyrinthitis. During this time, she would hold on to tables to avoid falling over. She understands the journey coming from a family of chronic pain and migraine sufferers.



Similar articles you'll enjoy:


Back to Blog
  • The Use of Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) for Musculoskeletal Pain - MOJ Orthopaedics & Rheumatology. DOI: 10.15406/mojor.2015.02.00068

  • The effectiveness of low-level laser therapy for nonspecific chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis - Arthritis Research & Therapy. DOI: 10.1186/s13075-015-0882-0

  • Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) for discogenic back pain - British Journal of Sports Medicine. DOI: 10.1136/bjsm.2010.081554.56

  • Immediate pain relief effect of low level laser therapy for sports injuries: Randomized, double-blind placebo clinical trial - Journal of Science & Medicine in Sports. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsams.2016.03.006

  • Low-Level Laser Therapy at 635 nm for Treatment of Chronic Plantar Fasciitis: A Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Study - The Journal of Foot & Ankle Surgery. DOI:10.1053/j.jfas.2014.12.014

  • Treatment of Toenail Onychomycosis using Laser Pharmacology - International Journal of Dermatology & Clinical Research. DOI: 10.17352/2455-8605.000040

  • https://healthline.com/health/cold-laser-therapy