Ten Commandements of Laser Therapy

There are Do's and Don'ts for success in laser therapy. Satisfy these Ten Commandments and you will find your clinical success rates increase and patient satisfaction will soar to new heights. Now isn't that what it's all about? Oh and if you don't believe they are all important, try taking one away and see what happens. I dare you.

1. Proper Dosage- You must get between 4J/cm2 - 10J/cm2 into target tissue to have a proper therapeutic response. For instance 50cm2 deep tissue area will require up to 750J for maximum effect.

2. Wavelength-Determines penetration. Deep therapy requires the IR (Invisible Red) range of 790-1000nm. Wavelength is measured in nanometers. VR (visible red) in the 600nm range is too superficial for deep penetration. Don't believe me, read a physics book. Get the right wavelength or results decrease.

3. Laser on skin-Laser application must be in contact with the skin or exposed to skin surface. Adequate dosage cannot be obtained through objects like clothes, furniture, etc. Use common sense. If it sounds crazy, it usually is. Try therapy on skin and then through clothes and see which works. Bet I know the answer.

4. Power-Higher power decreases treatment time and increases laser photon energy deeper into tissue. 500mW compared to 10,000mW is a big difference in dosage and penetration. Low powered lasers take longer for a therapy session and longer to get results. (In my experience)

5. Proper Diagnosis-No laser in the world will help if you aim it at the wrong spot and simply chase pain. You should have an improvement within 3 visits or you are doing something wrong. The primary reasons laser therapy fails in clinical practice are an inadequate dose and wrong diagnoses.

6. Nerve Root-Always laser the nerve root associated with any physical condition. For example, tendonitis in the elbow can be caused by nerve root adhesions which shorten the muscle and increase length tension relationships at the origin and insertion resulting in inflammation.

7. Treat Proximal to Distal-Always treat the spine first and then the peripheral area. Stimulating the lymphatic system and nerves first, makes for a greater feedback mechanism of healing laser energy.

8. Skilled Training-Just like there is an art and science to chiropractic, there is an art and science to laser therapy application. Results will vary greatly from doctor to doctor depending on their training. A laser is only as effective as the skill of the clinician behind it. Make sure you are trained by a doctor, not a salesman.

9. Don't over treat-Too much laser is just as bad as not enough. Too much will inhibit cellular healing. You may get rid of pain, but ultimate healing is the goal. Remember why you became a chiropractor. Was it to simply get people out of pain or to heal them? High power with proper dose is the key!

10. Pick a Niche-Master a condition and become known as the "Guru' of that injury and you will become so busy you will be turning patients away. For example: Be the ‘Shoulder Pain Laser Doctor'. Specialize or perish! Business success strategy 101.

Take time to learn the truth about lasers. Don't even take my word for it. Research and see who is telling you the truth. Fancy brochures, pictures and sales tactics may make you buy a laser, BUT it will come back to haunt you and your patient's when the results are poor. Reality speaks for itself by results!!