High-power laser therapy is a treatment technique aligned with the non-invasive care offered in chiropractic clinics. Safe and highly effective, it is a therapy chiropractors use to accelerate the regeneration of injured tissues. Here is everything you need to know about this method based on the use of light rays, the conditions this treatment can address, and what happens during a session.
What Does High-Power Chiropractic Laser Therapy Consist Of?
High-power chiropractic laser treatment is a non-invasive procedure that stimulates the body’s natural healing response in soft tissues, such as tendons, ligaments, or muscles.
This therapy is based on the use of light rays. Depending on the condition to be treated, the chiropractor can determine and set the laser’s power, frequency, and necessary exposure time. When absorbed by the skin, these rays reach the damaged cells and trigger a series of chemical activities. Chiropractic laser treatment thus helps improve blood circulation at the pain site, restore cell function, reduce inflammation, and alleviate pain, while speeding up tissue healing.
Laser treatment is indicated to relieve neuro-musculoskeletal pain, whether acute or chronic, as well as inflammatory conditions. This therapy also has the advantage of providing rapid pain relief, generally with few significant side effects.
Which Conditions Can Be Treated with Therapeutic Laser?
Therapeutic laser treatment may be recommended for patients suffering from musculoskeletal pain related, for example, to injury, excessive strain, or spasms. People experiencing neck pain, headaches or migraines, lower back pain, and backache can, for example, receive this type of care.
It is also an effective method to treat most joint pains, including those caused by osteoarthritis, injuries (such as herniated discs), or repetitive movements (like tendinopathies such as lateral epicondylitis or Achilles tendonitis).
Therapeutic laser is a preferred solution for treating inflammatory disorders. Thus, conditions such as bursitis, capsulitis, sciatica, or synovitis can also be treated by this method in chiropractic clinics.
How Long Until Improvement Is Noticed?
The individual response of each patient and the severity of symptoms influence how soon improvements can be noticed. However, an injury treated promptly with therapeutic laser can be relieved just as quickly. Usually, patients may notice symptom reduction after their first treatment; nevertheless, between 3 and 6 sessions may be necessary to achieve the desired results.
Who Can Receive This Treatment?
To determine who can receive therapeutic laser treatment, the chiropractor first conducts an anamnesis. This medical interview allows the health professional to understand the circumstances in which the patient developed their pain and to learn more about their medical history. The chiropractor then performs a physical examination and may request imaging tests if deemed necessary to confirm the diagnosis. Using this information, they can finally determine if the patient is eligible for therapeutic laser treatment and establish the most effective treatment plan.
How Does a High-Power Laser Therapy Session Proceed?
A laser therapy session is relatively quick and typically lasts between three and ten minutes per treated area. The chiropractor uses an applicator which they configure according to the patient’s condition. In contact with the skin, the device then emits continuous and pulsed rays over the painful areas. The patient may feel a slight warming or tingling sensation, but the treatment remains completely comfortable. Once the treatment is complete, it is important to follow the health professional’s recommendations to ensure optimal recovery conditions.
Other Chiropractic Treatments to Manage Pain
The chiropractor’s mission is, of course, to reduce patients’ pain but also to ensure the optimal functioning of their neuro-musculoskeletal system. To do this, they use natural techniques, such as chiropractic adjustment. To prolong the benefits of treatment beyond the clinic visit, they provide recommendations for therapeutic exercises.