Laser therapy, also referred to as Cold Laser Therapy, Warm Laser Therapy (depending on the type of Laser Device in use) or Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) is a treatment that utilizes specific wavelengths of light to harmlessly pass energy through the skin reaching the deeper tissues.
Its purpose is to affect cellular function which can lead to acceleration of the healing process as well as decreasing inflammation.
It can be used on patients who suffer from a variety of acute and chronic conditions in order to help eliminate pain, swelling, reduce spasms, increase functionality and much more.
There are three main types of Therapeutic Lasers in use, Classes II, III, and IV. These lasers can further be classified as either cold lasers or warm lasers.
These types of lasers are FDA approved devices built to very exact specifications for the assisting of healing.
Therapeutic laser devices have a handheld implement used by the clinician. The laser is placed directly over the injured area for 30 seconds to several minutes, depending on the size of the area being treated and the dose provided by the laser unit.
During this time, the photons of light that are emitted from the laser pass through the skin’s layers (the dermis, epidermis, and subcutaneous tissue or tissue fat under the skin).
This light has the ability to penetrate 2 to 5 centimeters below the skin at up to 60,000 mw in power and up to 905 nm in wavelength.
Once the light energy passes through the layers of skin and reaches the target area, it is available to the tissues and interacts with the cells light sensitive properties.
This is something like photosynthesis in plants - sunlight is absorbed by plants, and is then changed into usable energy. The plant can then use this energy to grow.
In your body, your cells absorb the light energy from the laser which begins a sequence in the cell that is believed to result in the accelerating of the healing process of damaged tissue.
This leads to a reduction in pain, less inflammation and an overall lessening of the amount of time it takes to heal.
There is quite a lot to this technology. In order to provide as much relevant information as possible, I will cover the technical detail of lasers, their different uses in the medical field and how they can help you with the specific ailment you may be suffering from.
So what laser is right for neuropathy? How much energy is needed to effect the nerve in a positive way to wear it repairs. Are all lasers the same. Are lasers even necessary in the treatment of neuropathy? These are the questions I would have if I was a patient. What I can tell you that is yes lasers are necessary in helping nerves repair. It is a primary component of nerve repair. Without the lasers that we have, we could not have been as successful as we are in treating peripheral neuropathy. All lasers are not the same. They have to be able to provide enough energy into the cell over a period of time and combined with other modalities to work. I have seen it first hand.
Hope this info helps
God Bless
Dr. Thai DC