Laser Therapy
Laser therapy means the use of low-intensity (low-energy) laser radiation generated by optical quantum generators (lasers) for medical and preventive and rehabilitation purposes. This is a type of light therapy (phototherapy) based on the use of special physical and chemical properties and high biological activity of laser.
Low-energy laser radiation is a nonspecific biostimulant of reparative and metabolic processes in various tissues. Laser irradiation accelerates wound healing, which is caused by improvement of local blood circulation and lymph efflux, alteration of cellular composition of wound fluid towards an increase in red blood cell and polynuclear count, increase in activity of metabolic processes in a wound, slowdown of lipid peroxidation. Irradiation of border tissues at wound edges is accompanied by stimulation of fibroblast proliferation. Besides, bactericidal effect of laser radiation associated with its ability to cause destruction and breakage of the microbial cell walls is well known.
Laser irradiation stimulates bone tissue regeneration, which is why it is used to treat bone fractures, including those with delayed union. Laser irradiation improves regeneration in the nerve tissue, decreases impulse activity of pain receptors. It secures the pain alleviating effect of laser therapy together with reduction of interstitial edema and compression of nerve conductors.
Laser irradiation has an expressed anti-inflammatory effect, which is apparently caused by the improvement of blood circulation and normalization of disturbed microcirculation, activation of metabolic processes in the focus of inflammation, reduction of tissue swelling, prevention of acidosis and hypoxia, direct influence on the microbe factor in the first place. Activation of the immune system also plays a substantive role.
The most pronounced effects of laser therapy mainly observed at the manipulation area are the trophic and regeneration effect improving microcirculation, anti-inflammatory, immunostimulatory, desensitizing, anti-edematous, pain relieving effect.
Laser therapy is typically and successfully applied in physical therapy to treat: surgical diseases (obliterating endarteritis, obliterating atherosclerosis and diabetic angiopathy of lower extremity arteries, phlebitis, burns, osteomyelitis, bone fractures with delayed union, arthropathy deformans, arthritis, parasynovitis, bone spur, epicondylitis), skin diseases (itching dermatosis, eczema, drug eruption, lichen ruber planus, herpes recidivicus, furunculosis, necrobiosis lipoidica, keloidal scars), dental diseases (periodontal disease pulpitis, alveolitis, periodontitis, gingivitis, stomatitis, glossodynia, traumatic injuries of mucous tunic of mouth, herpes iris), visceral diseases (bronchitis, pneumonia, bronchial asthma, ischemic heart disease, myocarditis, arterial hypertension of stage I and stage II, gastroduodenal ulcer, biliary dyskinesia, cholecystitis, colitis, rheumatoid arthritis), diseases of the nervous system (neurological manifestations of vertebral osteochondrosis, neuropathy of facial nerve, trigeminal neuralgia, herpetic sympathicoganglionitis, traumatic injuries of peripheral nerves, vegetative dystonia of sympathoadrenal crisis, migraine, infantile cerebral paralysis, multiple sclerosis, syringomyelia), gynecological disorders (chronic and acute inflammatory diseases, cervical erosion, dysfunctional uterine bleeding, mastitis, fissures and swelling of nipples), inflammatory diseases of ENT-organs.
Counterindications for application of low-energy laser radiation include acute inflammatory diseases, active tuberculosis, malignant neoplasms and benign conditions, systemic blood diseases, infectious diseases, serious cardiovascular diseases, thyrotoxicosis, personal intolerance.
