When used appropriately, this type of cold laser application can improve tissue repair and produces anti-inflammatory effects, with the end goal of the long term reduction in pain in the area. Cells that have been stressed through disease or injury produce nitric oxide internally, slowing them down and stressing them even further. Referred to as ‘oxidative stress,’ this can lead to damage through inflammation or even the death of cells in an affected area. By stimulating the powerhouse of the cells (mitochondria) with laser light, the procedure allows the oxygen that was displaced from the cells by nitric oxide back in so that the cells can get back in working order. Those mitochondrial powerhouses can run smoother, leading to overall improvements in inflammation.