Cork-based company are on a mission to treat chronic pain
Dr Sarah Kingston GP, and Shane Hennessy, Chartered Physiotherapist, with laser-powered pain relief products sold by Laser Medical, the only Irish company to distribute the devices. Pic: Brian Lougheed
The products have been successfully trialled by people with arthritis related pain across Ireland, while a number of medical clinics in Cork have recommended the devices for patients, 80% of whom found an improvement in symptoms within two weeks.
Laser Medical was founded by Shane Hennessy, a chartered physiotherapist who runs his own practice in Ballincollig, and by Dr Sarah Kingston, a GP with years of clinical experience treating patients with various painful conditions.
“The company was founded in August 2023 by me and GP, Dr Sarah Kingston,” Shane explained to .
“It was 12 months of hard work leading up to this moment, working on developing and designing the products and doing many trials on people with various painful conditions.
“The inspiration for the company came from a place of frustration; seeing people every day in our clinics struggling with persistent pain.
“The amount of people with chronic pain is growing year on year and there are very limited self management options available to them.
“The company mission is to give people living with chronic pain a real and proven self management tool to give them back some control of their condition with the aim of getting back to doing the activities they enjoy.
“Sarah and I felt in a good position to establish Laser Medical due to our combined professional experience,” Shane added.
“I’m a chartered physiotherapist with a practice in Ballincollig. During my career I have spent considerable time managing the pain of elderly patients, having spent a number of years working in the nursing home sector.
“I’m also experienced in treating numerous conditions affecting young people, and I have worked as team physio with elite sporting professionals.
“Sarah is a GP with years of clinical experience treating patients with various painful conditions. In setting up Laser Medical, we joined forces with experts across the fields of science, medicine, and product development.”
Using low level laser technology, the Laser Medical devices provide a non-invasive and drug-free alternative to traditional methods of treatment.
“In 10-minute sessions, patients can treat pain caused by conditions such as arthritis affecting both the older and younger population, common sports injuries, as well as chronic neck and back pain.
“Using the devices can in some cases eliminate the need to attend medical appointments.
“Laser Medical offers two home use devices, the Rx Laser Pro and the Rx Laser Pad,” Shane explained.
“Each device uses FDA-approved low-level laser technology. They are very safe and easy to use and they have proven to be extremely effective in treating pain, inflammation, and stimulating a healing response without any side effects.
“The technology used causes a cellular reaction within the living tissue of the injured or painful area which triggers a series of events, known as photo-biomodulation.
“We believe our products offer a really effective alternative to the current approach of injections, prescription medications, and surgery for people struggling with ongoing pain.”
Shane added that the response to the products has been “overwhelmingly positive”.
“When we did the trials in the clinics, the majority of people called us within two weeks looking to purchase the device,” he said.
“In the first week of operating the demand was huge and much greater than we had anticipated at such an early stage. It is great to hear people’s stories afterwards about how the device has helped them.
“The product was trialled by people from all walks of life — from a 78-year-old woman with worsening knee arthritis, who is now back gardening again for the first time in two years after using our device, to a 52-year-old man out of work for 12 months due to severe back pain following failed surgery, who is now getting his life back on track thanks to a Laser Medical device.
“Everyone has their own personal experience with pain and we love to hear the many examples of when our product has had a really positive impact on their life,” he stated.
Laser Medical is in the very early stages and has a small team in its office in Ballincollig, Cork.
“We have had great help and advice from experts in many different fields including medical doctors, PhD researchers, and business leaders,” Shane explained.
“The products at the moment are mainly for sale online at www.lasermedical.ie or many orders are also being placed over the phone by ringing our office on 021-4877081.
“We have plans for clinics, pharmacies, and healthcare shops to stock our products so we would gladly speak to anyone who would like to work with us on this,” he added, revealing big plans for the future of the business.
“The goal of the company over the next couple of years is to get as many people as possible in Ireland benefitting from our products and then after that moving into the UK market.
“We also plan to develop two new home use laser devices for other specific conditions, which have shown promising research to date.
“One of our ultimate goals is to lessen the need for people with chronic pain to make medical appointments, which can often prove costly and involve lengthy wait times,” Shane explained further.
“We’ve seen first hand how managing pain at home with the Laser Medical devices can be really empowering and life-changing and we want to continue to make this happen for people.
“There will always be times when people need to attend clinics for medical assessment, but with the guidance of professionals and the use of clinically proven devices, care in the home can become a real option.”
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