Method for Treatment of Diabetes and Prediabetes with Low-Level Laser Therapy

• US 20110087312A1
• Filed: 12/17/2010
• Published: 04/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Erchonia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Erchonia Corporation
• Inventors: MALONEY, Ryan, NEIRA, Rodrigo, SHANKS, Charles, TUCEK, Kevin B., SHANKS, Steven C.
• Application Number:
  US12/971,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20110087312A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/89
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/20351 Scanning mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/20355 Special scanning path or conditions, e.g. spiral, raster or providing spot overlap
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/205547 Controller with specific architecture or programmatic algorithm for directing scan path, spot size or shape, or spot intensity, fluence or irradiance
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0642 Irradiating part of the body at a certain distance
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0644 Handheld applicators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0652 Arrays of diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0659 infrared
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/01 Devices for producing movement of radiation source during therapy A61N5/1077 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0613 Apparatus adapted for a specific treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/067 using laser light

Abstract

Low-level laser therapy is applied externally through the skin of the patient to targeted areas of a of a patient'"'"'s body to treat diabetes or prediabetes. A patient is first diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes, preferably by blood draws that measure insulin, A1C, or glucose levels. A therapeutic amount of laser energy to apply is determined from a patient'"'"'s biological factors such as body mass index. The therapeutic amount of laser energy is applied one or more times over a two week time period. The patient is then retested for diabetes or prediabetes. If necessary, a new therapeutic amount of laser energy is determined according to any changes in the patient'"'"'s diabetes or prediabetes diagnosis and any changes in the patient'"'"'s biological factors. Adjusted treatments with low-level laser energy continue until the diabetes or prediabetes diagnosis is removed.

Claims

1. A method of treating diabetes or prediabetes in a patient comprising:

a) diagnosing diabetes or prediabetes;

b) determining from a patient'"'"'s biological factors an appropriate therapeutic amount of laser energy to apply; and

c) applying the determined therapeutic amount of laser energy to the patient.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the laser energy has a wavelength in the red range.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the laser energy has a wavelength of about 635 nm.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the determined therapeutic amount of laser energy is at least 0.03 joules/cm².

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the patient'"'"'s biological factors include a body mass index between 15-24 and the amount of laser energy applied is at least 0.03 joules/cm².

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the patient'"'"'s biological factors include a body mass index between 25-31 and the amount of laser energy applied is at least 0.05 joules/cm².

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the patient'"'"'s biological factors include a body mass index higher than 31 and the amount of laser energy applied is at least 0.07 joules/cm².

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the determined therapeutic amount of laser energy is applied to the patient at least two times over at least a two week time period.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the determined therapeutic amount of laser energy is applied six times over at least a two week time period.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the determined therapeutic amount of laser energy is applied daily for at least two weeks.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising retesting the patient for diabetes or prediabetes after two weeks of applying the determined therapeutic amounts of laser energy to the patient.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

a) determining from a patient'"'"'s biological factors an appropriate second therapeutic amount of laser energy to apply; and

b) applying the second determined therapeutic amount of laser energy to the patient.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the determined therapeutic amount of laser energy is applied at least two times over a two week period.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein diabetes or prediabetes is diagnosed by measuring a patient'"'"'s insulin level.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein diabetes or prediabetes is diagnosed by measuring a patient'"'"'s glucose level.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein diabetes or prediabetes is diagnosed by measuring a patient'"'"'s A1C level.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the laser energy is applied by a scanning laser device.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying mechanical stimulation to the patient.

19. A method of treating diabetes or prediabetes in a patient comprising:

a) drawing a first blood sample from the patient;

b) measuring the level of glucose in the first blood sample;

c) applying one or more times over at least a two week time period at least 0.03 joules/cm² of laser energy to the patient using a laser device;

d) drawing a second blood sample from a patient;

e) measuring the level of glucose in the second blood sample;

f) comparing the level of glucose in the second blood sample to the level of glucose in the first blood sample; and

g) adjusting the therapeutic amount of laser energy to apply in light of the change in glucose level.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

a) determining the patient'"'"'s body mass index before applying a therapeutic amount of laser energy

b) determining the patient'"'"'s body mass index after applying a therapeutic amount of laser energy one or more times over at least a two week time period; and

c) further adjusting the therapeutic amount of laser energy to apply in light of the change in body mass index.