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Dr Shikha Parmar
Dr Shikha Parmar (nee Dixit) is an experienced general practitioner who has worked in family medicine for over 18 years. She graduated from the University of Auckland with her medical degree and proceeded to complete diplomas in Paediatrics and Obstetrics and Gynaecology. She gained her specialist qualification in General Practice and moved with her family to Victoria. She worked in family medicine in semi-rural Victoria for a number years before moving to metropolitan Melbourne in 2009.
According to Australian Beach data 2009-2010, presentations to the GP for musculoskeletal problems were second only to respiratory complaints. This data doesn’t necessarily reflect the burden of musculoskeletal problems in the wider community with sufferers often presenting directly to other allied health practitioners such as physiotherapists, osteopaths, chiropractors, acupuncturists, myotherapists and massage therapists to seek relief for these complaints.
Dr Parmar has received internationally accredited training in Low Level Laser Therapy based on research undertaken by Harvard Medical School. She was an attendee at the World Association for Laser Therapy (WALT) conference held in Australia in 2012 and is a member of WALT.
“As a family doctor I would be faced several times a day with patients with musculoskeletal pain which may not be the main reason for their visit to me. My standard answer would be to prescribe pain-killers to provide temporary relief, knowing these may carry side-effects and would not address the underlying cause of the problem. Patients had often failed to gain relief from other modes of physical therapy and I would feel helpless at not being able to offer definitive management of their pain stemming from injury or inflammation.
So learning about the healing benefits of infra-red light through low level laser therapy was extremely exciting and welcome. After completing internationally recognised training in this innovative, but established and not so new field of medicine, I began treating patients with this therapy. Initially I was surprised and delighted with the results, not nearly as much as my patients, but quickly began to expect speedy resolution of their symptoms. I feel this is the way forward in managing musculoskeletal pain. It is only a matter of time before this form of non-invasive therapy becomes main-stream in Australia and is as widely accepted as it is in the UK, Europe, and North and South America.”
Apart from family medicine, Dr Parmar has been involved in teaching at Melbourne University for the medical degree, education of General Practice Registrars, a medical examiner for the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and a medical assessor with Health Workforce Assessment Victoria, for overseas trained doctors applying to work in Victoria.
Dr Parmar balances work with a busy family life raising 2 active teenage sons and a pet Cavoodle.
“My first-hand use of low level laser therapy to treat my cycling and cricket enthusiast husband’s various injuries and those of my sporting sons, and of my mother-in-law’s osteoarthritic knees has provided a great experience and direct proof of its effective and long-lasting benefits”.
Citation:
Britt H, Miller GC, Charles J, Henderson J, Bayram C, Pan Y, Valenti L, Harrison C, O'Halloran J, Fahridin S 2010. General practice activity in Australia 2009-10. General practice series no. 27. Cat. no. GEP 27. Canberra: AIHW.
http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=6442472732&libID=6442472713
