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What is
Laser Therapy ?
OUR LOW
LEVEL LASER THERAPY DEVICES ARE FDA CLEARED FOR CERTAIN PAIN
CONDITIONS. ANY USES BEYOND THOSE FOR WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN
CLEARED ARE INTENDED FOR INVESTIGATIONAL
AND CLINICAL TRIAL USE ONLY UNDER IRB GUIDELINES.
Low level
laser therapy
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:
A)
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.
B)
Pain relief as a result of increased endorphin
release; Increased serotonin; Suppression of nociceptor
action.
C)
Strengthening the immune system response via
increasing levels of lymphocyte activity and through a newly
researched mechanism termed photomodulation of blood.
D)
Acupuncture point stimulation.
Parameters for Use
Three
parameters are important for clinicians to achieve the best
possible therapeutic effects when using low level laser.
A)
Selection of the correct beneficial
Wavelength
B)
The use of the correct Power levels
C)
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.
Wavelength
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Wavelength is
measured in nanometers
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It is set
in the probe and cannot be changed
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The
3B lasers are produced with wavelengths between 600
and 1000nm
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Red Light Laser Probes
with Wavelengths between 620 and 675nm.
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Readily
absorbed by the mitochondria and therefore potentially
stimulatory
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Excellent
source of stimulation of a range of growth factors
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Red Light
does not penetrate very effectively
below the skin surface and into the tissue below
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Red
light is the best for wound healing or superficial
conditions but is not the most effective way to treat
deeper injury
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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
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More penetrative through the tissue, especially the
7850-830nm range, therefore this range is selected for
treatment through intact skin and pain relief
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Cluster probes with a range of wavelengths offer the
best of both worlds to a clinician
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How to Calculate the
Necessary Energy
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Power (Watts) and Energy
(Joules)
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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.
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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 × Time.
Omega provides detailed literature on the most
commonly calculated procedures.
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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
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Simply, to increase the energy being delivered by the
probe you increase the time of treatment.
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Pulsing Rate
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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. |
Laser Therapy…The Healing Energy and Power of Light ! |
