Shoulder Laser Therapy Treatment
Class IV Laser Therapy FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the power of most laser therapy devices on the market?
The Class IV Therapy Laser is a high-powered therapy device ranging up
to 6000 milliwatts. The Class IV Therapy Laser is power adjustable from 100
milliwatts to 6000 milliwatts allowing for a wide range of treatment protocols.
This power and penetration of the Class IV Therapy Laser system is not attainable
with cold laser devices. Low laser therapy devices are class III lasers or
"cold" lasers. Their power ranges are in the range of 5 milliwatts to
500 milliwatts.
- How many laser sessions are necessary?
Usually ten to fifteen sessions are sufficient to achieve a
treatment goal. These sessions may be scheduled at two to three times
per week for short duration treatment, or one to two treatments per week
with longer treatment protocols.
- Are the protective goggles absolutely required for both patient
and laser operator?
Yes. Class IV laser devices are dangerous for direct and scatter
radiation. Protective eyewear is mandatory in order to protect the
retina and cornea. Direct exposure from high-power laser can damage
the eye and if sufficient, laser radiation strikes the retina, a focal
area of blindness potentially can occur.
- Does laser therapy cause any side effects?
Side effects are rare and transitory. Some patients have reported
a temporary mild increase of pain when the laser touches an area of pain
or injury. This is may develop a day later and quickly subsides. Pain
relief from laser therapy may result within minutes or within hours of
laser treatment. A temporary redness (hyperemia) may also develop following
laser therapy. This is a result of vasodilation created by the effects of
laser therapy. Occasional brief lightheadedness has been reported following
treatment.
- Some patients' report feeling heat when they are treated with a
high-power laser. Is laser therapy based on thermal effects?
The primary mechanism of laser therapy is photobiomodulation.
Thermal effects are one component of high power laser therapy; however
the stimulation of cells and tissue repair is based on scientific
research that has demonstrated positive physiological effects of
infrared wavelengths on cellular organelles and electron chain
molecules.
- Can't the same therapeutic effects be achieved with a noncoherent
light source?
Coherence of laser has a greater penetration ability and higher
therapeutic value than noncoherent light, although wavelengths specific
to photobiomodulation will provide a therapeutic application regardless
of the source. The Class IV Therapy Laser system however provides high-power
laser in specific wavelengths that dramatically decrease treatment times
and improve deep tissue penetration. Faster treatment time is a great
benefit to the busy practitioner.
- Can the Class IV Laser therapy device be programmed for additional
therapy protocols?
Yes. The Class IV Therapy Laser is unique that it has preset therapy
programs for the most common therapeutic applications such as edema, congestion,
pain reduction, spasm, trigger points and osteoarthritis, however if the laser
operator creates his own therapeutic application, these manual settings can be
stored in a menu driven system for repeat application.
- Is it true that new therapeutic strategies are being developed in
laser therapy today?
Yes, multiple researchers throughout the world are finding therapeutic
application of different infrared wavelengths as well as other visible light
wavelengths such as red, green, and blue frequencies and their effects on
tissues. Advances in laser application and delivery include variations in
modulation or frequency and intensity as well as different treatment
wavelengths. These variations in laser delivery produce different effects
on tissues resulting in shorter treatment times and better treatment outcomes.
There are limitations in low-level laser therapy because of dramatic absorption
of infrared in the subcutaneous tissues. It is difficult for lasers under 200
milliwatts to penetrate beyond a few centimeters. The Class IV laser is the
front-runner in high-power laser therapy systems and will continue to improve
as new applications develop.
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The next generation of Laser Therapy!