# HILT (High Intensity Laser Treatment). Snake oil? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 15, 2010, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilt-high-intensity-laser-treatment-snake-oil/557224 "2010-10-15T09:36:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilt-high-intensity-laser-treatment-snake-oil/557224/1 "2010-10-15T09:36:33Z")
My mother suffers from pains from arthritis and was convinced by a friend to visit these guys: [http://www.hilterapia.com/](http://www.hilterapia.com/) I read the brochure and visited the website and my gut feeling is that these people are quacks. What is the straight dope? ---
**Author:** ![Lazlo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lazlo/32/9678_2.png) [@Lazlo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lazlo)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilt-high-intensity-laser-treatment-snake-oil/557224/2 "2010-10-15T11:14:17Z")
I checked [quackwatch.com](http://quackwatch.com) and couldn’t find anything about it with the search engine. However, on google I see HILT being associated with magnetotherapy and chiropractic, so my gut says quack as well. ---
**Author:** ![Moe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moe/32/2972_2.png) [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilt-high-intensity-laser-treatment-snake-oil/557224/3 "2010-10-15T11:19:29Z")
I’m interested to hear responses from knowledgeable dopers, but man is that site peaking my BS meter. > [@](#): > > Ideal for treatment of painful pathologies affecting the osteo-muscular-articular apparatus, from the most superficial up to the deepest ones. Not just effective, but “ideal” for everything from the “most superficial up to the deepest ones”. > [@](#): > > Thanks to a specific patented impulse, Hilterapia® reaches very high peak powers (1-3 kW) with a pulsed Nd:YAG source (wavelength 1064 nm). Thank you “specific patented impulse”. > [@](#): > > It was experimentally proven that chronic and deep seated lesions and osteo-arthritis need to receive a great quantity of energy in depth to be able to induce a biological answer. Seems very vague. Nothing about that site feels like it’s coming from the world of science-based medicine, and everything feels like it’s coming from salesmen. Just MHO, but I’ll be waiting for a more **GQ** response. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilt-high-intensity-laser-treatment-snake-oil/557224/4 "2010-10-15T12:30:37Z")
From their [“Therapy” link](http://www.hilterapia.com/therapy/hilterapia-intense-deep-safe.html), they claim to be using a Nd:YAG laser at 1064 nm. Basically it’s just an infrared light source. The Nd;YAG is a pulsed laser - that is, its normal mode of operation is to put out brief, repetitive high-intensity pulses of light - and they claim that this somehow helps the healing process: > [@hilterapia.com](#): > > Thanks to the short pulse duration and the very high intensity, Hilterapia® has the right characteristics to generate this phenomenon, able to induce important therapeutic effects. It is known in fact that this kind of stimuli starts a series of biological signals that promote reparative and regenerative processes in tissues; moreover it activates lymphatic drainage and microcirculation. Any marketing description that contains the phrase “it is a known fact” triggers my bullshit meter. It’s worth pointing out that the Nd:YAG laser does have [medical applications,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nd:YAG_laser#Medicine) but these seem to be pretty much restricted to things like tissue ablation and hair removal. There is no mention of using the YAG for treatment of any of the things listed on the hilterapia website. Moving on to their [bibliography,](http://www.hilterapia.com/clinical-evidence/hilterapia-bibliography/) it seems a great many of the documents published that support the effectiveness of their treatment have been published in either “Energy for Health” or "_nd Hilterapia National Congress" (_ = 1 or 2). Googled “energy for heath,” top hit was [this UK website.](http://www.energyforhealth.co.uk/) There’s no mention of Hilterapia on that website, so that may not be it, but I can’t find anything else relevant under that title. Whatever “Energy for Health” magazine is, it ain’t exactly a mainstream, peer-reviewed medical journal. I Googled “hilterapia national congress”; all hits came back to [hilterapia.com](http://hilterapia.com) or hilterapia.it (the Italian-hosted version of [hilterapia.com](http://hilterapia.com)). Article [here about laser therapy for arthritis.](http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/413821%5B/url) Gist is that as of 2000, there hadn’t been much written about the subject; a few randomized trials had been done, with mixed results. Hilterapia’s massive bibliography entirely post-dates that article. A Google search of “laser arthritis treatment” brings up any number of natural/chiropractic/“alternative medicine” websites. A few [searches of JAMA](http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/search?fulltext=yag+laser+arthritis+therapy) with various permutations of key words like arthritis, laser, therapy, and YAG generates thousands of hits, but a brief skim of the titles doesn’t show anything particularly relevant. It seems that the efficacy of laser treatment for arthritis is, at very best, not supported by strong clinical evidence. Based on the fact that nobody seems to have tried to do solid research and get it published in mainstream medical journals like JAMA, it’s likely that it’s not effective. Based on the WebMD article, if I had rheumatoid arthritis that was poorly controlled by conventional treatments and there were a free clinical trial taking place conducted by a reputable entity (e.g. a major university medical school), I’d probably take part. But I definitely would not pay money for this treatment. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilt-high-intensity-laser-treatment-snake-oil/557224/5 "2010-10-15T15:18:09Z")
If you click the “downloads” link, you get this: > [@](#): > > The following site contains information about medical devices. According to national laws only medical professionals are allowed to obtain these information. Buuuuullllllsssshhhhhiiiiiittt! ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilt-high-intensity-laser-treatment-snake-oil/557224/6 "2010-10-15T20:32:46Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > If you click the “downloads” link, you get this: > > > [@](#): > > > > The following site contains information about medical devices. According to national laws only medical professionals are allowed to obtain these information. > > Buuuuullllllsssshhhhhiiiiiittt! Yup. Go to any website for a medication and they’ll let you download a PDF of the prescribing information even though it’s under the “For Professionals” section. I’m a medical professional, so I figured I’m entitled 😛 but saw they want you to give an e-mail address and create an account. WAG is that they’re building some kind of sales mailing list. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilt-high-intensity-laser-treatment-snake-oil/557224/7 "2010-10-15T22:55:14Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > If you click the “downloads” link, you get this: > > > [@](#): > > > > The following site contains information about medical devices. According to national laws only medical professionals are allowed to obtain these information. > > Buuuuullllllsssshhhhhiiiiiittt! Well, it isn’t _quite_ as nuts as [the guy who thinks the PDR is a deep, embarrassing secret](http://www.dansdata.com/personal/legal2.htm) (scroll a bit) but it’s certainly a long way from being legally lucid, properly principled, or even generally grammatical. So, to amplify your point: **There is nothing preventing average from people getting detailed information about drugs, procedures, and therapies in general. Only scammers will prevent you from examining what they’re doing or selling.** ---
**Author:** ![snapper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@snapper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snapper)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilt-high-intensity-laser-treatment-snake-oil/557224/8 "2013-08-02T16:24:42Z")
well, I’m looking into what this technology is on behalf of my MS therapy centre where we also use breathing pure O2 in a decompression chamber at depths up to 34 feet (even thougha Cochrane review says that it isn’t worth doing our members seem to find a little benefit) but back to class IV laser therapy (I believe this is the same as HILT). I’m still investigating but the health board of canada appear to have carried out studies for its efficacy in various RSI situations [404 Not Found | Dynamic Chiropractic](http://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/mpacms/dc/press_release.php?id=678) and at the moment St Thomas’ hospital in London UK are undertaking studies also [ISRCTN](http://controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN85358156). On my travels I’ve spoken to a couple of people who rate its wound healing properties. At the moment I’m undecided but feel its worth keeping an open mind and not immediately assume BS especially when conventional medicine can offer little alternative for some long term conditions. A number of vets use this technology on arthritic pets as the owners and their animals notice a benefit. But like I say, I’m still not sure. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilt-high-intensity-laser-treatment-snake-oil/557224/9 "2013-08-02T18:00:00Z")
If it’s introducing heat, I wouldn’t be surprised that it makes joints feel better temporarily. One of the local massage places has an infrared sauna, and it makes my knees feel better. The massage feels pretty good, too. Sitting in the sauna for half an hour is an extra twenty bucks. If the treatment cost more than that, I’d take the sauna. ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilt-high-intensity-laser-treatment-snake-oil/557224/10 "2013-08-02T18:55:03Z")
Since my zombie got ressurected, I owe you people an update: My mother was in so bad condition that she totaly lost movement to one leg and only could barely move the other one. She did a few sessions with the HILT machine and there was zero results, not even the tiniest improvement. What did the trick was a couple of months of intense physiotherapy treatment which included massage, body weight exercises and some resistance training. Her main problem was not arthritis but muscle atrophy. Maybe that’s why HILT was ineffective. ---
**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilt-high-intensity-laser-treatment-snake-oil/557224/11 "2013-08-02T19:03:39Z")
My daughter has essentially the same treatment done on her dog who has back problems. They think it helps, but then again, my daughter also things acupuncture helps. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilt-high-intensity-laser-treatment-snake-oil/557224/12 "2013-08-02T19:08:47Z")
> [@JerrySTL](#): > > My daughter has essentially the same treatment done on her dog who has back problems. They think it helps, but then again, my daughter also things acupuncture helps. I saw a sign on a vet clinic for ‘Pet Acupuncture Available!’ the other day. :rolleyes: I could not roll my eyes hard enough, and if it was my vet I’d find a new one right quick. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilt-high-intensity-laser-treatment-snake-oil/557224/13 "2013-08-04T12:09:38Z")
> [@snapper](#): > > well, I’m looking into what this technology is on behalf of my MS therapy centre where we also use breathing pure O2 in a decompression chamber at depths up to 34 feet (even thougha Cochrane review says that it isn’t worth doing our members seem to find a little benefit) but back to class IV laser therapy (I believe this is the same as HILT). I’m still investigating but the health board of canada appear to have carried out studies for its efficacy in various RSI situations [404 Not Found | Dynamic Chiropractic](http://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/mpacms/dc/press_release.php?id=678) and at the moment St Thomas’ hospital in London UK are undertaking studies also [ISRCTN](http://controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN85358156). On my travels I’ve spoken to a couple of people who rate its wound healing properties. At the moment I’m undecided but feel its worth keeping an open mind and not immediately assume BS especially when conventional medicine can offer little alternative for some long term conditions. A number of vets use this technology on arthritic pets as the owners and their animals notice a benefit. But like I say, I’m still not sure. The zombie resurrector is just as good at grammar (and scientific accuracy) as the ‘medical professionals’ from the website linked in the OP. Given that, I think this info is highly trustworthy. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilt-high-intensity-laser-treatment-snake-oil/557224/14 "2013-08-04T18:57:16Z")
Until there are more clinical results it will be difficult to say if Hilterapia is a fraud, or Hilterapia is a scam, or Hilterapia is snake oil. If only there were some solid research into whether Hilterapia is a fraud, or Hilterapia is a scam, or Hilterapia is snake oil we would know the truth.