By Dr. Bruce Mark, DC | Hollywood Laser Pain Center | Hollywood, Florida
Chronic pain, defined as pain persisting beyond three months, affects more than 50 million Americans. The medical community now recognizes it not merely as a symptom of underlying tissue damage but as a distinct disease process with its own neurobiology. For patients in Hollywood, Hallandale Beach, Pembroke Pines, Fort Lauderdale, and across Broward County who have lived with persistent pain despite medication, injections, and repeated courses of therapy, this recognition matters. Effective treatment must address both the peripheral tissue source and the sensitized nervous system that has been amplifying pain signals for months or years. The clinical approach at Hollywood Laser Pain Center combines photobiomodulation, Graston Technique, chiropractic care, and acupuncture to address these multiple mechanisms.
Research examining central sensitization indicates that pharmaceutical approaches focused on symptom management may not address the peripheral tissue inflammation and sensitization processes that contribute to the chronic pain cycle. Studies suggest that reducing peripheral pain input can have downstream effects on central sensitization, which supports the clinical rationale for multimodal interventions that target both peripheral and central mechanisms.
At Hollywood Laser Pain Center, I have practiced chiropractic care in Hollywood, Florida for more than 27 years. My practice is based at Broward Medical and Rehab, a multidisciplinary clinic where the integration of clinical tools reflects the multi-mechanism nature of chronic pain.
What Is Central Sensitization and Why Does It Drive Chronic Pain
Central sensitization is a neurological state in which the central nervous system undergoes functional changes that amplify pain processing. Thresholds for pain activation are lowered, stimuli that would not normally be painful become intensely painful (allodynia), and painful stimuli produce exaggerated responses (hyperalgesia).
Research published in “Nature Reviews Neuroscience” has documented the cellular and molecular mechanisms of central sensitization in detail, including glial cell activation, glutamate receptor upregulation, and altered descending pain modulation. For patients with chronic pain, this means their pain intensity may significantly exceed what tissue findings alone would predict. This is not psychosomatic. It is a real neurological change.
Research published in the journal “Pain” has examined how reducing peripheral nociceptive input can affect central sensitization, with findings suggesting that treating the muscles, joints, and soft tissues generating pain signals at the periphery can have downstream effects on central pain processing. This research informs the tissue-level focus of the integrated clinical approach used at Hollywood Laser Pain Center.
How Photobiomodulation Therapy Targets Chronic Pain Mechanisms
Photobiomodulation, the laser-based technology underlying the Regenerative Medical Laser™ protocol, has been studied for its effects on multiple cellular processes relevant to chronic pain. At the tissue level, the research literature describes how photobiomodulation can influence pro-inflammatory cytokines, cellular repair processes, and microcirculation. A systematic review published in the “European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine” examined photobiomodulation in patients with musculoskeletal pain and reported improvements in pain and function across the studies analyzed.
Research indexed by the National Institutes of Health has examined laser therapy’s effects on C-fiber and A-delta pain fiber activity, the specific nerve fiber types most involved in chronic pain transmission. The literature describes how laser therapy can modulate the activity of these fibers, with implications for the peripheral nociceptive input that contributes to central sensitization.
The Role of Graston Technique in Multi-Mechanism Pain Care
The myofascial pain component of chronic conditions, including trigger points, fascial restrictions, and accumulated scar tissue, provides sustained peripheral nociceptive input that can contribute to the central sensitization cycle. Graston Technique is designed to address this mechanical dimension by systematically releasing the soft tissue sources that contribute to chronic peripheral pain input. When combined with photobiomodulation at the cellular level, the integrated approach is intended to address peripheral pain inputs from multiple mechanisms.
The Role of Acupuncture in Multi-Mechanism Pain Care
For patients with significant central sensitization, acupuncture is used as a neuromodulatory input that complements the peripheral tissue work of photobiomodulation and Graston Technique. Research has examined acupuncture’s effects on descending pain inhibitory pathways, the brain’s own system for modulating pain signals, supporting its role in addressing the neurological component of chronic pain that tissue-level treatment alone may not fully reach. The American Pain Society’s chronic pain guidelines emphasize multimodal approaches that combine modalities targeting different pain mechanisms, which is the framework reflected in the integrated approach used at Hollywood Laser Pain Center.
Visit Hollywood Laser Pain Center to learn more. Watch patient education on the ReliefNow Nation YouTube channel. Contact Hollywood Laser Pain Center at 2607 Polk Street, Hollywood FL 33020 | 954-925-7333.
About the Author
Dr. Bruce Mark, DC | Hollywood Laser Pain Center | 2607 Polk Street, Hollywood FL 33020 | 954-925-7333
Dr. Mark earned his Doctor of Chiropractic from Logan College of Chiropractic with honors and has practiced for more than 27 years in Hollywood, Florida. He holds certifications in Graston Technique and acupuncture, is a former collegiate football player at Wake Forest University, and practices at Broward Medical and Rehab. He is a provider in the national ReliefNow® network.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Effectiveness of treatments may vary depending on individual circumstances. Consult a qualified healthcare professional to discuss your specific medical needs and treatment options.
