What’s cold laser therapy?

Cold laser therapy is low-intensity laser therapy that stimulates healing while using low levels of light.

The technique is called “cold” laser therapy because the low levels of light aren’t enough to heat your body’s tissue. The level of light is low when compared to other forms of laser therapy, such as those used to destroy tumours and coagulate tissue.

Surgical and aesthetic lasers heat the tissue being treated. True to its name, cold laser therapy does not.

Cold laser therapy is also known as:

• low-level laser therapy (LLLT)
• low-power laser therapy (LPLT)
• soft laser biostimulation
• photobiomodulation

How does cold laser therapy work?

During this procedure, different wavelengths and outputs of low-level light are applied directly to a targeted area. The body tissue then absorbs the light. The red and near-infrared light causes a reaction, and the damaged cells respond with a physiological reaction that promotes regeneration.

Superficial tissue is commonly treated with wavelengths between 600 and 700 nanometers (nm). For deeper penetration, wavelengths between 780 and 950 nm are used.

Although you’ll feel the laser device touching your skin, the procedure is painless and noninvasive. There will be no sound and you’ll feel no vibration or heat. Each treatment typically takes only a few minutes.

What’s cold laser therapy used for?

Doctors, dentists, physical therapists, and other medical professionals use cold laser therapy in a variety of ways. The main uses for cold laser therapy are tissue repair and relief from pain and inflammation.

Minor injuries and sprains

Sports medicine and physical therapy practices often use cold laser therapy in the treatment of minor injuries and sprains, such as:

• ligament sprains
• muscle strains
• tendonitis
• bursitis
• tennis elbow
• neck pain
• lower back pain
• knee pain
• pain associated with muscle spasms

It’s also used to help reduce swelling and promote the healing of the joints and soft tissue.