Cold-laser therapy, which stimulates healing with low levels of red or infrared light from a laser, isn’t actually cold; it’s just not hot, because the light used isn’t of sufficiently high intensity to warm body tissue during therapy as do higher-intensity laser therapies used to destroy things such as tumors.
Cold-laser therapy might be called:
- photobiomodulation;
- soft-laser biostimulation;
- low-power laser therapy (LPLT); or
- low-level laser therapy (LLLT).
How does cold-laser therapy work? Low-level light in different wavelengths are applied to the targeted area where your body tissue will absorb the light. The red light creates a reaction and the cells that are damaged respond with a physiological reaction enticing regeneration. The photons of the laser light heal a damaged cell by stimulating the powerhouse of the cell.
This stimulation creates a healthy thriving cellular environment. Cold laser therapy is non-invasive and provides results with just a few treatments, depending on the chronicity of the problem. Treatment is simple to implement, drug-free. It is applied to all patients regardless of any other accompanying medical conditions.
When you are looking to treat superficial tissue, between 600 and 700 nanometers (nm) is used. For more intense treatment, between 780 and 950 (nm) is used.
For What Is Cold-Laser Therapy Used?
Cold-laser therapy is used to repair tissue. It is also to relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
Physical therapists use cold-laser therapy for sprains and injuries such as
- muscle-spasm pain;
- lower-back pain;
- knee pain;
- neck pain;
- tennis elbow;
- tendonitis;
- bursitis;
- ligament sprains; and
- muscle strains.
Cold laser therapy also benefits those who are looking to promote the healing of the soft tissue and their joints as well as reduce any swelling. We improve the daily life of patients who suffer from chronic and acute pain due to carpal tunnel syndrome and fibromyalgia.
Cold-laser therapy also is useful in treating scar tissue such as that from burns or surgery. Cold laser should not be applied to any skin areas where there are tattoos.
The Future of This Therapy
With all the current fields and the multitude of patients who benefit from cold laser therapy, there’s so much more the future holds for the field of cold-laser therapy. There is a hope to use cold-laser therapy to help those suffering from
- spinal-cord injuries;
- Parkinson’s disease;
- traumatic brain injuries (TBI); or
- Alzheimer’s disease.
Advance Care Physical Therapy accepts most insurance. We are here to help you whenever you need us. Call us today, at 716-282-2888, so we can help you on your road to recovery.
