Next to its wide spread use in surgery, dermatology, and ophthalmology, Laser Therapy is also a clinically proven effective adjacent treatment modality in the physical therapy practice for managing pain and inflammation and for promoting tissue repair in musculoskeletal system as well as skin and mucosa.
How does Chattanooga HPL laser work?
HPL-15 combines different wavelengths – 810nm, 980nm and 1064nm to ensure optimal absorption by different tissue chromophores.
When absorbed by a chromophore, laser light will induce the following photochemical effects that are therapeutically relevant for pain relief and a cell and tissue growth repair: oxygenation, bio stimulation, micro vascularisation.
- 980nm wavelength promotes Oxygenation
- 810nm wavelength promotes Biostimulation
- 1064nm wavelength promotes Vascularisation and Pain Relief
Difference between Low Level Laser Therapy and High Power Laser Therapy:
An output power of less than 0.5 Watts is classed as Low Level Laser Therapy LLLT ( class III in the USA) whereas lasers with an output powers greater than 500 mW or 0.5 Watts are termed High Power Laser Therapy HPLT (Class IV lasers in the USA). HPLT creates heat on the surface of the skin due to their higher power density (irradiance). LLLT is often referred to as “Cold Lasers” since they do not create a heating sensation during treatment.
During treatment, you will feel the device against your skin, and a gentle warmth as tolerated. Each treatment typically lasts about 15 – 20 minutes and treatments are usually scheduled three times per week. The number of treatments required will depend on the issue being treated, with a course of treatment often including 10 – 12 treatment sessions.
Physiotherapists use HPLT basically on the presumption that energised cells from the laser increase the rate of healing.
High Power Laser can be used to treat a variety of conditions:
- Osteoarthritis of the hip, knee and ankle
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Shoulder impingement syndromes
- Hip or Shoulder bursitis
- Disc degeneration
- Disc herniation
- Sciatica
- Tendonitis
- Tennis elbow
- Plantar fasciitis
- Wound Healing
- Cartilage and Bone Healing
To find out if High Power Laser Therapy is right for you, feel free to contact us.
