Color Laser Acupuncture for Children

by Antonia Balfour, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac. & C.H.

Acupuncture has been used for over two thousand years using needles to heal the body and restore homeostasis. In laser acupuncture, specific acupuncture points are stimulated with lasers instead of needles. Light beams of varied colors penetrate the points according to the depth and density of tissue at each point. The lasers used are “cold lasers” – producing no pain or possibility for infection.

Laser acupuncture is a great way to introduce a child to holistic healthcare. Because the treatment is painless and fun, trust is gained between the child and the practitioner. Each point is stimulated for a period of time ranging from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Even young children can participate in treatment – singing songs as the points are being stimulated or choosing which color is used first.

Laser acupuncture can be combined with other modalities such as traditional acupuncture with needles, acupressure, cupping, and Chinese herbal remedies.

What does color laser acupuncture treat?

* Pain – From migraines and headaches to neck, shoulder, or back pain, acupuncture & laser acupuncture are best known for the treatment of acute and chronic pain.
* Skin Disease  & Tissue Damage – From superficial sores or wounds to rashes to chronic acne, laser acupuncture accelerates tissue repair and is an effective treatment used in dermatology. It is often used successfully in the treatment of chronic wounds that have not healed. Acne cases with severe symptoms display striking improvement with a laser acupuncture protocol (clinical research has shown laser acupuncture to work faster than conventional antibiotic treatment).
* Anxiety, Depression, & Trauma – Laser acupuncture restores emotional balance and is widely used for phobias and psycho-emotional problems.
* Allergies/Asthma – Laser acupuncture is used to reduce inflammation restore healthy breathing.
Certain acupuncture points respond better to treatment with color lasers than others. For example, ear acupuncture points are all close to the surface of the body. Laser light penetrates the skin of the ear easily, and these points are often incorporated into treatments.

How Does it Work?

Chinese medicine teaches that acupuncture treats the “Qi” (energy) of the body. Western medicine doesn’t acknowledge the existence of Qi, but does recognize acupuncture’s success to heal damaged tissue, regenerate cells, regenerates bone growth, and reduce pain and inflammation.

The FDA mandates that “no medical claims of cures for diseases” can be made with regard to lasers. That said, laser acupuncture has been researched and practiced quite extensively in Germany, Spain, Japan, China and Russia for decades. Clinical research studies in the US and around the world have shown laser acupuncture to show positive results in a variety of conditions including reducing spasticity in Cerebral Palsy patients, lowering post-operative vomiting following anesthesia, reducing chronic acne, and improving function in carpal tunnel syndrome.

Laser acupuncture is a method of healing that is more subtle and energetic than modern western medication. According to the theories of Chinese medicine, children have a “pure” constitution that hasn’t yet been tainted by years of unhealthy foods, lack of exercise, and the chronic worry or stress that effects adults. Therefore, as a general rule, children respond quickly to holistic modalities. Laser acupuncture is a painless, effective treatment that very often gives children successful, lasting results.