low level laser therapyLow Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) is a treatment that can speed up certain healing processes by using specific wavelengths of light to interact with tissue. It has been effective in treating a variety of chronic and acute conditions in order to enhance functionality and to reduce pain, swelling and spasms. Some conditions that respond particularly well to LLLT include:

  • Sports Injuries
  • Plantar Fasciitis (Heel Pain)
  • Epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow)
  • Achilles Tendonitis
  • Acute & Chronic Back Pain
  • Adhesive Capsulitis (Frozen Shoulder)
  • Rheumatoid & Osteo-Arthritis
  • Chronic Oedema (Swelling & Fluid Retention)
  • Fracture Healing
  • Headaches & Migraines (including TMJ Dysfunction)

I advise my patients that LLLT can stimulate certain cell types including muscle, ligament, cartilage and nerves; therefore a thorough evaluation of each patient’s case should be conducted to assess the correct form of treatment.

Interesting Note: The light used in LLLT has the ability to penetrate 2 to 5 centimetres below the skin!

So what happens during LLLT treatment?

During treatment, the laser (which is about the size of a torch) is placed directly over the injured area for about 30 seconds to several minutes (the exact time depends on the size of the area being treated and the severity of the injury). As a painless and extremely safe process, the light passes through the layers of skin and interacts with the light sensitive areas of the mitochondrial and fibroblast cells. Once the cells have absorbed this light energy, a series of events initiate, which create a healing process to the injured or damaged tissue. The desired result is a reduced level of pain, swelling and inflammation and an accelerated healing process.

Depending on your type of condition and its severity, you may be offered LLLT on a weekly or twice-weekly basis where the frequency of your treatment will decrease as your condition improves.

Find out more about: Low Level Laser Therapy.

exercise on prescriptionI am a keen advocate of the benefits of exercise as part of the journey to health restoration. I therefore wholeheartedly back the government scheme that means NHS patients will be prescribed exercise as part of ongoing treatment for certain conditions.

The workouts are set for patients who suffer from obesity, heart disease, stress, diabetes, osteoporosis and back pain. It has also been created for pensioners who have suffered accidents or falls.
In a bid to make the country healthier and to cut hospital waiting lists, the schemes are making aerobics, yoga, weight training and swimming either free or discounted for up to ten weeks at a time.

For many of the patients who visit my clinics, this kind of help and support is extremely welcomed. The sheer fact that exercise is now classed as a treatment plan and not just an advisory action will almost certainly change its level of importance in patients’ minds. If a doctor prescribes a patient antibiotics, then they will take the prescribed course – the same commitment is now likely to start evolving for exercise.

Department of Health guidance has been provided to doctors which highlights precisely what can be described for certain patients. Insurance cover and legal responsibilities (for patients who attend the gym under prescription) have also been addressed. Exercise specialists published by Fitness Industry Association will take legal responsibility while patients are exercising under these prescription workouts.

I know that all biological systems work in conjunction with one another and I am positive that a national increase in exercise will result in fewer people needing medical treatment for illness or disease. It will also go a long way towards placing a higher value on regular physical exercise, the importance of maintaining good health and working on the notion of prevention rather than cure.

I have always been interested in the power of exercise. In 1995, I researched the “exercise on prescription” model with 60 GPs and wrote a dissertation entitled “The effects of exercise on clinical depression”. The “exercise on prescription” model being trialled then enabled GPs and allied healthcare professionals to refer patients with conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and depression, for a monitored exercise regimen instead of prescribing medication.

Just like I believe our biological systems do not work in isolation, neither does treatment. By looking at both the cause and treatment of conditions in more entirety, perhaps we can start to get the whole country healthier.

Some patients who come to see me are suffering with digestive problems. Conditions that affect the digestive system can cause many unpleasant symptoms such as bloating, gas, cramping, nausea, constipation, gallbladder issues and sleep disturbances. For many patients, over the counter medication simply masks their digestive problems, instead of correcting them.

At The Robin Kiashek Clinics, we work to establish the cause of a client’s problems and focus on each client’s individual case to give them the specific treatment that they need. These conditions may include headaches, migraines, painful periods, digestive disorders, depression as well as conditions more directly related to muscles, bones and joints. For many patients presenting with digestive system issues, there is compression and strain on the ligaments and connective tissues around the organs. A fall on the buttocks could cause tension on the ligaments around the kidneys, for example.

When you consider all areas of the body working in conjunction, it is perhaps worth considering if your aches and pains are actually coming from a previously unconsidered source.