About Laser Therapy

WHAT IS LASER THERAPY?

LOW LEVEL LASER THERAPY DEVICES ARE INTENDED FOR INVESTIGATIONAL AND CLINICAL TRIAL USE ONLY UNDER IRB GUIDELINES.

Low level laser therapy aims to biostimulate. Because of the low power nature of low level lasers, the effects are biochemical and not thermal and cannot cause heating and thereby damage to living tissue. Four distinct effects are known to occur when using low level laser therapy:

Growth factor response within cells and tissue as a result of increased ATP and protein synthesis; Improved cell proliferation; Change in cell membrane permeability to calcium up-take.
Pain relief as a result of increased endorphin release; Increased serotonin; Suppression of nociceptor action.
Strengthening the immune system response via increasing levels of lymphocyte activity and through a newly researched mechanism termed photomodulation of blood.
Acupuncture point stimulation.

Parameters for Use:

Three parameters are important for clinicians to achieve the best possible therapeutic effects when using low level laser:

Selection of the correct beneficial Wavelength
The use of the correct Power levels
The consistent application of the necessary amount of Energy measured in Joules. Another factor which has to be considered in laser therapy is Pulsing Frequency.

Red Light Laser Probes with Wavelengths between 620 and 675nm.

Readily absorbed by the mitochondria and therefore potentially stimulatory
Excellent source of stimulation of a range of growth factors
Red Light does not penetrate very effectively below the skin surface and into the tissue below
Red light is the best for wound healing or superficial conditions but is not the most effective way to treat deeper injury

Infrared (Invisible) Laser Probes with Wavelengths between 780 and 950nm.

Absorbed through the cell walls (acting differently between cells) and therefore cell response is more wavelength specific in the infrared range, responding differently to different wavelengths.
More penetrative through the tissue, especially the 7850-830nm range, therefore this range is selected for treatment through intact skin and pain relief.
Cluster probes with a range of wavelengths offer the best of both worlds to a clinician.

How to Calculate the Necessary Energy - Power (Watts) and Energy (Joules)

Power (watts or milliwatts) is the strength of the probe and is set at the factory by Omega. Clinicians need to know the power of the probe they are choosing to use and also have the probes regularly checked to ensure that they are running to full power. This check can be quite simply carried out by a special measuring device in the Omega systems.
The simple formulae as outlined above shows the calculation necessary to establish the amount of energy which we as clinicians are providing in each treatment. The relationship is Energy (as measured in Joules) = Power x Time.
Omega provides detailed literature on the most commonly calculated procedures.
To create a response in the growth factor cells or to provide pain relief it is necessary to make sure that we are delivering sufficient energy.
Simply, to increase the energy being delivered by the probe you increase the time of treatment.

Pulsing Rate

Pulsing rate equals the number of times per second light is emitted. Research has demonstrated there are pulsing rate specific effects with low level laser therapy. Concise details of optimal pulsing frequencies and energy density requirements are supplied with our laser equipment.