Inflammation isn't all bad. When you sprain an ankle, the swelling and heat are your body's first-aid response. Blood rushes in. Immune cells show up. Repair begins.
The problem is when that response doesn't shut off.
Chronic inflammation is the slow-burn version. It hangs around for months or years. It drives the pain in arthritis, sciatica, tendonitis, fibromyalgia, and a long list of musculoskeletal conditions. And until you address the inflammation, your pain isn't going anywhere.
That's why MLS Laser Therapy is one of the core tools at Laser Spine and Pain Center in Fairfax, VA.
What inflammation does in your body
When tissue gets damaged or irritated, your body releases chemical signals called cytokines. These signals tell blood vessels to dilate, immune cells to show up, and the area to start healing. That's acute inflammation. It hurts for a few days, then it resolves.
Chronic inflammation is different. The signals never fully shut down. The tissue stays swollen, warm, and tender. Immune cells keep showing up to a fight that's already over, and they end up damaging healthy tissue in the process.
You feel it as:
- A joint that's always a little stiff and sore
- Back muscles that never fully relax
- A tendon that hurts every time you use it
- Nerve pain that comes and goes but never really leaves
The pain keeps you from moving. The lack of movement keeps the inflammation going. It's a cycle that doesn't break itself.
Why pills only mask it
Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen and naproxen work by blocking some of the chemical signals that drive inflammation. They reduce the symptoms.
The issue is what they don't do. They don't fix what's irritating the tissue in the first place. They don't repair the damaged cells. And used long-term, they have real costs. Stomach lining damage, kidney stress, and increased cardiovascular risk are well-documented for chronic NSAID use.
Cortisone shots go deeper, but they have their own ceiling. Repeated injections in the same area can weaken tendons and break down cartilage over time.
You can manage inflammation with these tools. You can't really solve it.
How MLS Laser actually works
MLS stands for Multiwave Locked System. It's an FDA-cleared laser that uses two specific wavelengths of light at the same time, synchronized to penetrate different depths of tissue. The 808 nanometer continuous wavelength reaches deeper. The 905 nanometer pulsed wavelength works at the surface and into the cellular level.
When that light hits inflamed tissue, three things happen at the cellular level:
It boosts cellular energy production. The laser stimulates the mitochondria inside your cells. The mitochondria make ATP, which is the energy your cells use to repair themselves. More ATP means faster healing.
It reduces inflammatory chemicals. The laser energy interrupts the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines that keep the cycle going. Lower inflammation means less pain and less further tissue damage.
It improves blood flow and drainage. The treated area gets better circulation. Fresh blood brings in nutrients and immune cells that finish the cleanup. Lymphatic drainage carries away the inflammatory waste.
The result is that the underlying tissue actually has a chance to repair itself instead of staying stuck in the inflammation loop.
What conditions respond to it
We use MLS Laser Therapy across a wide range of pain conditions at our Fairfax clinic. The ones where we see the strongest results:
- Arthritis. Both osteoarthritis and inflammatory arthritis like rheumatoid. Patients report reduced morning stiffness and improved joint range of motion.
- Sciatica. The laser calms the inflamed nerve and surrounding soft tissue, which often resolves the shooting pain down the leg.
- Tendonitis and bursitis. Shoulder, elbow, hip, and knee. The laser works on the inflamed tendon or bursa directly.
- Plantar fasciitis. One of the conditions where patients often feel a difference within the first few sessions.
- Back and neck pain. Especially when the pain is driven by muscle spasm, disc inflammation, or facet joint irritation.
- Neuropathy. The diabetic and chemotherapy-induced kind, plus other forms of nerve pain.
- Post-surgical recovery. Used after orthopedic procedures to speed healing and reduce post-op inflammation.
What a session feels like
Comfortable. That's the short version.
You lie down. The laser device positions over the treatment area. Most patients feel a gentle warmth and nothing else. Some people fall asleep during sessions, especially when we're working on the back.
Sessions run about 10 to 15 minutes. There's no numbing, no needles, no recovery time. You can drive yourself home, go back to work, or run errands afterward.
How long until you feel it
For acute inflammation, many patients feel a difference after the first session or two. The pain decreases, the area feels less tight, range of motion improves.
For chronic conditions that have been around for months or years, the improvement is more gradual. Most patients notice meaningful change by the third or fourth session. A full course usually runs six to twelve sessions, depending on the condition and how long you've been dealing with it.
If it's not working for you after a fair trial, we'll tell you. We're not in the business of running sessions that don't help.
Is it for you
MLS Laser Therapy is safe for most patients. There are a few situations where we don't use it: directly over an active cancer, on a pregnant abdomen, or over an implanted pacemaker. We'll go through your medical history at your first visit to confirm you're a good fit.
For the conditions it treats well, it's one of the best non-drug, non-surgical options out there. And when we combine it with chiropractic care to address the underlying mechanics, the results tend to last.
If inflammation is driving your pain and you're tired of the medication-shot-rinse-repeat cycle, come see what MLS laser therapy can actually do. We're at 2826 Old Lee Hwy Suite 330 in Fairfax, serving patients across northern Virginia.