At the onset of the 1950's, several different engineers were working towards the harnessing of energy using the principle of stimulated emission. At the University of Columbia was Charles Townes, at the University of Maryland was Joseph Weber and at the Labedev Laboratories in Moscow were Alexander Prokhorov and Nikolai G. Basov. At this stage the engineers were working towards the creation of what was termed MASER (Microwave Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation), a device that amplified microwaves as opposed to light and soon found use in microwave communication systems. Townes and the other engineers believed it to be possible to create an optical maser, a device for creating powerful beams of light using higher frequency energy to stimulate what was to become termed the lasing medium. Despite the work of Townes and Prokhorov it was left to Theodore Maiman in 1960 to invent the first laser using a lasing medium of ruby that was stimulated using high energy flashes of intense light. Both Townes and Prokhorov were later awarded the Nobel Science Prize in 1964 for their work.
The first Low Level Therapeutic Laser was developed in 1962. By the end of the 1960's, Endre Mester was reporting an improved healing of wounds through low level laser radiation. Since then scientists and doctors have understood more about the nature of light and it's positive effects on the body, developing new techniques and devices for use in medicine.
The use of light energy to treat and cure disease is relatively new compared to the use of antibiotics. The use of low power laser energy would not have been possible without the foresight of the “Father of Laser Biostimulation,” professor Andre Mester of Budapest, Hungary. Professor Mester began wound treatment experiments laboratory mice in 1967 using laser energy. He discovered that low energy laser radiation had a stimulating effect on biological systems and that high-energy radiation had an inhibiting effect. Using a low powered (cold laser) he observed and recorded rapid healing of wounds due to increased micro-circulation of blood supplies. He was astonished when he also observed accelerated hair growth as well as a thickening of hair in the treated areas. This result was also confirmed in subsequent laser light treatments of diabetes patients suffering with sores that would not heal. Here again, accelerated hair growth and increased hair density was observed in treated areas.
In 2003 the FDA approved cold laser therapy to treat carpal tunnel syndrome, back and neck pain. Of the 5 ways to treat carpal tunnel (physical therapy, splints, drugs, surgery and cold laser therapy) only cold laser therapy heals with no scarring and no side effects! It is a nonsurgical, drugless, & painless treatment, cleared by the FDA, with shown phenomenal results with even the MOST ADVANCED cases of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, even AFTER surgery! Cold Laser actually HEALS the Median Nerve itself!
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Photo: Endre Mester, Hungary, "Father of LLLT" and his two sons. Source: Laser World
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History of the Development of the Laser - PDF by www.pegasuslaser.com
Cold Laser Therapy Science - PDF by Dr. Brian Seymore, Maryland Spine Institute & Physical Therapy
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