Pioneering laser research makes waves around the world

THERE are many uses for lasers in New Zealand as a medical and surgical tool but what is not so well-known is that low-level laser therapy is now used in podiatry.
And "in a little old room in little old Masterton", podiatrist Les Jonsson tested and refined what he admits was "fairly revolutionary treatment" ? the reduction of post-operative pain after laser treatment before surgery.
The results of the pilot study, which at the time was a world first, have since been published by the Swedish Medical Laser Society.
Mr Jonsson said the opportunity came up for him to visit Russia ? specifically the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, population 250,000, an important port as well as a centre of industry, science and adventure tourism.
It's situated on the Kamchatka Peninsula, which is comparable in size to Japan, and lies on the south-eastern coast of Russia between the Bering and Okhotsk seas.
For a month last November, Mr Jonsson was the guest of pediatrician, immunologist and ENT specialist, Luba Gorodishtyan and her family and observed the many uses that low-level laser treatment was put to at the city's polyclinic or out-patients' hospital.
In New Zealand now as well as overseas, the therapy has proved to be suitable treatment for ulcers, sports injuries, poor circulation, many wounds including minor burns pain management and scars ? it's painless, non-invasive aseptic and drugless.
The light applied in laser therapy used the beneficial light spectrum and left out the unhealthy light rays such as ultra-violet light.
He said it worked well with many diseases by balancing the existing natural regenerative, anti-flammatory and analgesic capabilitites of the body and promoted healing because the light penetrated the skin, increasing the energy level of the body and activating the enzymes in the targeted cells.
Dr Gorodishtyan will go back to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in about a week, returning to her work at the polyclinic where she's one of 140 doctors and specialists including gastroenterologists, gynocologists and neurologists and where lasers are used to treat pneumonia, bronchitis, dermatitis, sinusitis, otitis and ulcers.
As a pediatrician she looks after the health of children from the newborn to 18 years, seeing patients about three hours a day at the clinic with the remainder taken up with house calls ? which in winter is better for children as in -15C or -20C temperatures it's too cold for them to be outside".
Dr Gorodishtyan said being in New Zealand has been wonderful; and as New Zealanders we were very lucky living in "a paradise, so peaceful and beautiful".