Posted by Andrew Hall DC (Sonora, CA) on 01/20/2023
★★★★★
I first posted on this site about laser therapy for IPF on 8/10/16. I am way past due for an update. It has been 8 years since my IPF diagnosis. I started with a Class 4 laser right after diagnosis and I continue to use laser faithfully every week. My O2 levels remain at 96-97. One of the VERY important things we have learned from some Japanese and Chinese researchers is that Interleukin 11 is responsible for producing the fibrosis not only in the lungs but the liver as well. The Interleukins are primarily pro-inflammatory cytokines and whenever you have inflammation in your body one or more Interleukins are involved. It was always assumed that Interleukin 11 was pro-inflammatory but we were wrong. Laser is famous for reducing pro-inflammatory Interleukins and the good news is that it reduces/eliminates Interleukin 11 as well. That is why after all these years I still have no additional fibrous tissue on CT scans. To date, I have referred right at around 500 IPF patients to Class 4 laser therapy providers all over the world. I know of only 2 of them that have had more fibrous tissue and it was minimal. Most of the more early stage IPF patients will find some improved O2 levels and more stamina with laser therapy. As I have said before, no one claims laser therapy is a cure, but it is a VERY good way to manage the disease without any side effects that you get with either Esbriet or Ofev. I still don't take any of the IPF drugs and never have. If you or a loved one has IPF you should seriously consider laser therapy for this terrible disease. I am now semi-retired and one of my missions in life now is to help others find a Class 4 laser therapy provider near them. I highly recommend either a Summus laser or K-laser for treatment. With the help of top laser experts we have a protocol that works amazingly well.
Posted by Andrew Hall (Sonora, CA) on 02/06/2019
★★★★★
It has been over a year since I last posted on this site.
I am still doing amazingly well. Blood oxygenation varies between 97-99 and I was diagnosed nearly 4 and 1/2 years ago. I have found doctors for a lot of IPF patients. They report back to me that their oxygenation is better and there are no reports of additional fibrous tissue on subsequent CT scans. Pretty darned remarkable! I have not heard back from anyone that didn't get better in at least some way. Some of them, the results have been dramatic, some of them the results were more subtle but at least there was some improvement in one way or another.
Due to the numbers of IPF patients that have stayed in contact, and all the consistent positive changes we have started a study. If interested in the study go to ipflaserstudy.com and check it out. Make no mistake, I nor anyone else claims this to be a cure, because the laser treatment does not appear to remove the fibrous tissue on subsequent CT scans. However, it does appear to arrest the progression of the disease. I would also suggest to IPF patients to join the forum for IPF patients.
Go to PulmonaryFibrosisNews.com It is a forum with caring, loving and supportive people and can be very helpful to you. If you would like to find a laser provider near you go to Klaserusa.com. At the top of the page click on Medical Patient. Then on the far right at the top of the page click on Find a Medical Provider. God Bless everyone dealing with this terrible disease.
Just know there is hope.....
Dr Hall
Posted by Andrew Hall Dc (Sonora, Ca) on 12/24/2017
★★★★★
HI Stephanie,
yes the laser is still working for me. Just had another pulmonary function test and it had improved yet again! I'm thrilled with my progress.
Dr Andy Hall
Posted by Andrew Hall Dc (Sonora, Ca) on 06/21/2017
★★★★★
I would like to update my progress. Since my post on 8/10/16, I have had two more pulmonary function tests that have again improved. No additional fibrous tissue on CT. A gentleman named Garry from Australia has tried laser therapy and his pulmonologist was also shocked to see his pulmonary function tests improve. Please consider this therapy if you suffer from IPF and let me know how you respond. I will be happy to help you find a doctor with an appropriate laser.
Dr Andy Hall
Posted by Andrew Hall Dc (Sonora, Ca) on 08/10/2016
★★★★★
I was diagnosed with IPF 2 1/2 years ago. My very experienced pulmonologist said I would be lucky to make it 5 years. I am a chiropractor and the pulmonologist said it probably started from 40 yrs exposure to xray developing chemical. I'm not convinced of that, but I know I have IPF. I am in a unique position as that I utilize a Class IV laser in my office. I began using it on myself as soon as I was diagnosed. I returned to the pulmonologist a month ago after my third CT scan. There has been no additional fibrous tissue in the lungs in the 2 12 years since starting laser therapy, and my pulmonary function tests have actually improved each time, having had 3 total. My doctor said he has never seen this before in his entire career, where the IPF became static and function improved. I refused prednisone, Esbriet, etc. though I do use an inhaler on occasion.
The laser reduces inflammation with a photochemical process. When treating musculoskeletal problems it heals tissue faster and with less scar tissue. It could be that it is keeping more scarring from taking place, but it is not actually removing it. I still have a cough, but much less frequent and severe. I'm still working and playing hard though looking at retirement fairly soon. I'm 64. The dose with the laser I use is 10 watts, 4 minutes on the front of the chest and 4 on the back for a total of 4800 joules. I started with twice a week for the first month and then went to one treatment per week. I know this is working for me and I feel like I got my future back. If I don't get worse than I am, I can live very healthy for a very long time. My goal is 20 more years. If this post helps anyone else with this horrible disease I will be thrilled. It's wonderful to have hope. Dr Hall