What is Laser Therapy?
Laser therapy is a non-invasive medical treatment that uses a specific type of light that is turned into very specific wavelengths. Laser stands for: Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
This type of laser therapy utilizes red infrared light on areas of injury or wounds in order to mend the soft tissue and give relief from acute and chronic pain.
Photons (a particle that carries energy proportional to the radiation frequency) of light energy are absorbed by the injured cells, and transformed into biochemical energy within those cells. This converted energy increases the production of new proteins needed for cellular repair.
Lasers modalities are classified according to their power output:
- Class 3b—maximum of 500 milliwatts/0.5 watts
- Class 4—anything over 500 milliwatts/0.5 watts
Power is a crucial factor when it comes to laser therapy. Power is measured in watts. A higher-powered laser is a brighter light, and can produce more energy per unit of time. When it comes to doing laser therapy treatment, a higher-powered laser (Class 4) provides the benefit of having a brighter light, which penetrates deeper into the tissues, which enables the practitioner to treat deep-seated pain conditions.
The Class IV K-Laser used at Diversified health utilizes these three infrared wavelengths, allowing for deep penetration into the body.
- 800 nanometers penetrates the deepest
- 905 nanometers most efficiently targets the hemoglobin molecule
- 970 nanometers most efficiently stimulates micro-circulation in the tissues
Some conditions that may typically be treated by laser therapy include:
- Acute injuries, such as strains, sprains, knee and neck pain and shoulder injuries
- Repetitive-use injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis
- Traumatic injuries, such as post-motor vehicle accident with cervical back strain/sprain
- Chronic issues such as frozen shoulder, arthritis and fibromyalgia pain
Laser therapy treatments help the body to stimulates the production of ATP (a molecule that carries energy), and the cells use this energy to bring in nutrition and remove toxins. It also stimulates formation of collagen which is needed to repair injured tissue, and decreases pain by stimulating nerve cells, which block pain caused by inflammation.
Laser light increases the formation of blood vessels and increases circulation, while also increases the effectiveness of the lymphatic system by reduce swelling and bruising.
If you have any questions about how the Class IV K-Laser can help your injury or condition, please contact the clinic at 250-382-0018.
