Course Summary

Laser therapy can provide a less invasive form of treatment compared to other more traditional treatment options. Laser therapy may provide pain relief for many disorders, and may offer an answer for pain management recommendations when attempting to avoid opioids, nonsteroidal, and other anti-inflammatory medications. Specific treatments using low-level laser therapy include musculoskeletal disorders, skin conditions, antimicrobial and antifungal conditions, and major depressive disorder. It may also stimulate healing. This therapy is being considered for use in the area of neurocognitive disorders to include Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. This course will discuss how low-level laser therapy works and why it may offer an alternative to more invasive treatment options.

Course Format

Homestudy

Course Syllabus

• Introduction
• Overview of LASER Therapy
  • Importance of Wavelengths and Frequencies
  • Mechanism of Action
• FDA Clearance of LLLT Devices
• Treatments Using Laser Therapy
  • Musculoskeletal Disorders
  • Skin Conditions
  • Antimicrobial and Antifungal Uses
  • Major Depressive Disorder
  • Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia
  • Alternative to Pharmaceuticals for Pain Management
• Case Study
  • Discussion
• Summary

Author

Marilyn Lajoie, MD, DC, CCSP

Dr. Marilyn Lajoie obtained her medical degree from Saba University School of Medicine in 1999, Her residency began with one year of Anatomical and Surgical Pathology at Orlando Regional Medical Center, before transferring within the same post-graduate residency program to Internal Medicine. Upon completion of residency, she went into private practice in Orlando, where she specialized in Internal Medicine, Sports Medicine and Rehab, as well as acute and chronic pain management. Before becoming a medical doctor, she had practiced as a Chiropractic Physician, graduating from New York Chiropractic College in 1980, practicing initially on Long Island, N.Y., before moving to Florida where she had a successful chiropractic practice and physical rehabilitation center, and gained recognition as a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician. Dr. Lajoie was also the Director of Physical Therapy at Horizon Hospital, a residential and outpatient psychiatric hospital, and later, continued in the same capacity at Horizon’s sister psychiatric hospital in Brooksville, Florida. Dr. Lajoie maintained her chiropractic license and continued to practice both Internal Medicine and Chiropractic throughout private practice, until moving to the Veterans Healthcare System in 2014. Continuing in both fields, she became the Deputy Chief of Staff for the Montana VA, where she completed her service in 2021. Dr. Lajoie now works predominantly in telemedicine, and in an Expert Witness capacity for both medical and chiropractic cases. Still living in Montana, she enjoys being able to treat not only the rural areas of the state through this technology, but also patients across the US where she maintains multiple active state licenses. She and her husband also own a llama ranch with over thirty llamas that are hand selected for rare genetics. At the llama ranch, the public is invited to come and visit to learn about these elegant creatures, and to see ranch life firsthand – llama style! Dr. Lajoie and her husband have six adult children, as well as seven dogs.