What is Laser Therapy?
Laser therapy is a drug-free, surgery-free solution for pain relief. The Class IV K-Laser that House Paws uses delivers red and near-infrared wavelengths of light to create a healing effect within the body. The numerous therapeutic benefits of laser therapy include increased circulation, reduced swelling, pain relief, and enhanced tissue repair. Laser therapy has been clinically used since the 1970s and was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration in 2002.
Studies have shown that laser therapy may help with:
- Osteoarthritis
- Joint Pain
- Tendinopathies
- Edema and Congestion
- Ligament & Muscle Sprains/Strains
- Post-Traumatic Injury
- Post-Surgical Pain
- Neck & Back Pain
- Hip Dysplasia
- Burns
- Chronic Wounds
- Rehabilitation
- Post-Orthopedic Surgical Recovery
Therapeutic Effects
Laser energy is painless and increases circulation by drawing oxygen and nutrients to the afflicted area. This reduces inflammation, swelling, muscle spasms, stiffness and pain to create an ideal healing environment. As the injured area heals, your pet will experience less pain, and mobility and function will improve.
Cellular Effects
The infrared light generated by the laser interacts with tissues at the cellular level and increases metabolic activity within cells. This stimulates nutrient transport across cell membranes to increase synthesis of cellular energy (ATP). ATP production causes a cascade of effects that will benefit your pet by accelerating healing and reducing pain.
What to Expect
The laser therapy experience is usually comforting and enjoyable for your pet. No sedation or restraint is required. Laser therapy treatments will vary in length and frequency, depending on the condition of your pet. Treatment time ranges from 10 to 30 minutes. Improvements are often seen after the first visit, but most patients need between three and eight treatments for optimal benefits. Our veterinarian will be able to recommend a treatment plan specific to your pet.
FAQs
More severe, acute conditions may be treated more frequently, especially if your pet is in significant pain. Chronic issues typically respond better when treatments are spread further apart. We offer treatment plans with visits up to three times per week.
The number and frequency of treatments depends on the nature of your petu2019s condition. Some acute conditions only require one or two treatments. Other more chronic conditions will need five or more visits. If a condition is more severe, it may require ongoing care to control pain.
Many pets feel improvement after a single treatment, but these effects usually do not last. Other pets with more serious conditions will not feel improvement until three or more treatments have been done. Just because your pet does not feel improvement immediately does not mean that your pet is not healing; each treatment session is cumulative, and your petu2019s condition will improve with each session.
Laser therapy works well with other treatments such as physical therapy, chiropractic, massage, and electrotherapy.
Your pet will likely feel nothing during treatment. Sometimes a pet will feel a soothing warmth or a tingling sensation. Areas of pain or inflammation may be slightly sensitive.
Laser therapy has been used by healthcare providers for more than 20 years, with very few side effects ever reported. Some injuries may feel more aggravated for a few days after therapy because the body's natural healing response is activated by the treatment. Laser therapy should not be used on any patients with cancer, as therapy could promote the growth of pre-existing cancerous cells.