Cold laser therapy at Deep Relief is not a passing wellness trend. It is a clinically backed treatment that uses focused light energy to spark real changes in damaged or inflamed tissue. Along with our outstanding massage services, we offer the MLS-7 laser system, one of the most advanced non-invasive tools for pain relief and tissue repair in Austin.
If your pain has not fully responded to massage, stretching, or other conservative care, cold laser therapy might be the missing piece of your recovery plan.
Cold laser therapy, also called photobiomodulation or low-level laser therapy, delivers light energy at specific wavelengths directly into injured or inflamed tissue. At the cellular level, this light stimulates mitochondrial activity, which accelerates the body’s natural repair process.
The result is faster tissue healing, reduced inflammation, and meaningful pain relief without medication, needles, or downtime. For conditions where tissue is slow to heal or inflammation has become chronic, cold laser therapy produces changes that other soft tissue treatments cannot reach on their own.
Three things happen during a properly administered cold laser session. Inflammation decreases as the laser reduces the production of pro-inflammatory markers. Circulation improves in the treated area, which delivers more oxygen and nutrients to damaged tissue. And cellular repair accelerates, shortening the timeline from injury to full recovery.
The MLS-7 is a multi-wave locked system laser that combines two therapeutic wavelengths simultaneously. One wavelength targets inflammation and edema. The other targets pain and speeds cellular regeneration. Delivering both at the same time produces results that neither wavelength achieves on its own.
The treatment is non-invasive. The handheld device is applied directly over the treatment area. Clients typically feel mild warmth, if anything at all. Sessions are brief, ranging from a few minutes to around 20 minutes depending on the size and depth of the target area.
Crystal, our advanced therapy specialist, administers all cold laser and cryotherapy treatments at Deep Relief. Every session is targeted to the specific site where healing needs to happen, not a broad general treatment area.
Cold laser therapy is effective across a wide range of musculoskeletal and inflammatory conditions. The following respond particularly well to MLS-7 treatment.
Sports injuries and overuse conditions: Tendon injuries, ligament sprains, and muscle tears all involve tissue that needs accelerated repair. Cold laser therapy shortens recovery timelines by directly stimulating cellular regeneration in the affected tissue.
Chronic inflammation: For clients dealing with ongoing pain from conditions like IT band syndrome, plantar fasciitis, rotator cuff tendinopathy, or Achilles issues, the MLS-7 reduces the inflammation cycle that keeps the area painful long after the initial injury.
Post-surgical recovery: Swelling and inflammation following orthopedic surgery respond well to cold laser. Clients use it alongside lymphatic drainage massage to reduce post-operative swelling and support healing in the weeks after a procedure.
Acute soft tissue injuries: When a muscle or tendon is freshly strained, cold laser applied in the early stages of injury can reduce the inflammatory response and begin the repair process before the injury has a chance to become chronic.
Arthritis and joint pain: Cold laser reduces joint inflammation and associated nerve pain without the side effects that come with prolonged anti-inflammatory medication use.
Sciatica and nerve pain: The MLS-7 addresses inflammation around compressed or irritated nerve tissue, reducing the irritation that causes radiating leg pain. Many clients combine cold laser with orthopedic massage and dry needling at Deep Relief for more complete sciatica relief.
Cold laser therapy works well on its own. It works even better when paired with other treatments we offer at Deep Relief, because it addresses the inflammatory component of a condition while other modalities address the structural and soft tissue components.
A runner with a hamstring strain, for example, benefits from orthopedic massage to address the soft tissue damage and trigger points in the affected muscle, dry needling to release any trigger points contributing to altered movement patterns, and cold laser therapy to reduce the inflammation at the injury site and accelerate tissue repair. All three are available at our Oak Hill clinic without requiring referrals or separate provider visits.
For chronic pain clients, cold laser is often added to a regular massage plan when progress plateaus. If the tissue keeps returning to the same tight, painful state after each session, it is often because underlying inflammation is driving that pattern. Addressing the inflammation with cold laser allows the massage work to hold longer between visits.
Your first cold laser session at Deep Relief starts with an intake conversation about your condition, how long you have been dealing with it, and what other treatments you have tried. This helps our team identify the right treatment area and appropriate exposure time.
The session itself is straightforward. You remain clothed or expose the treatment area as needed. The MLS-7 handpiece is applied directly over the site. You may feel mild warmth, but cold laser therapy produces no pain, no vibration, and no sound.
Most sessions run between 10 and 20 minutes. Many clients combine cold laser with a massage or chiropractic visit on the same day. There is no recovery time required after a session. For acute injuries, improvement is often noticeable within 24 to 48 hours of the first treatment. For chronic conditions, a series of sessions is typically needed before sustained change is established.
We are in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield for acupuncture and chiropractic services. A superbill is available upon request for clients with other insurance plans seeking out-of-network reimbursement. We also accept U.S. Department of Labor (OWCP) federal workers’ compensation benefits for massage and acupuncture.
Our DR Wellness Plan is $100 per month and covers one 50-minute session per month across massage, acupuncture, dry needling, or chiropractic. Members receive $30 off every additional session, complimentary aromatherapy and hot towel add-ons, and credits that roll over for 90 days if unused. New clients receive $30 off their first visit.
View membership options or verify your insurance coverage before booking.
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