3 Surprising uses for a Class 4 therapy laser

Three surprising uses for a class 4 therapeutic laser are acute injuries, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Thousands of patients have already benefited from these treatments and in the future class 4 therapeutic laser treatments will be an integral modality in all fields of health care.

Class 4 therapeutic lasers first gained FDA clearance in December of 2003. Before then therapeutic lasers cleared by the FDA and most of them used in healthcare and in laser studies were class 3 devices. While the true definition of laser class is degree of hazard to the naked eye, the power cut-off between class 3 and class 4 is 500 milliwatts or half of a Watt. Early on, class 4 devices were first perceived as being too powerful.

In 1988 laser scientist Dr. R. Glen Calderhead introduced the term “low level laser therapy” to the medical scientific literature. Dr. Calderhead was very specific - he intended the term to be used in reference to the reaction at the tissues and not to the output power of the device. This is a very important distinction. Unfortunately, in the past few years many people have altered this definition and will talk about ‘low level lasers’ in reference to the output power of the device.

Class 4 therapeutic lasers are FDA cleared class 2 medical devices. They have been used safely and effectively in both human and animal medical care for more than 18 years. Scientific researchers have concluded that to deliver a therapeutic dosage to tissues deep inside of the body a higher-powered laser must be shined at the skin surface. It only makes sense. As light enters the body it will get dimmer and dimmer as it passes through the tissues. Photons get absorbed, and the light gets dimmer.

Class 4 therapeutic lasers use infrared wavelengths, ranging from 800 to 1064 nanometers. With any of the infrared wavelengths there will be a small amount of tissue heating during the treatment. The 980-nanometer wavelength is at a small peak of absorption for water molecules, so when this wavelength is used, there will be a little bit more tissue heating.

Detractors of class 4 therapeutic laser claim that they should not be used on acute injuries due to tissue heating. The amount of tissue heating during a properly delivered class four therapeutic laser treatment has been measured. It is less than two degrees Fahrenheit. And when proper settings are used for acute injuries, there is no tissue heating at all. This is very important.

Numerous studies support the benefits of applying laser therapy two acute injuries. For the athlete with the sprained ankle, the general patient in the motor vehicle accident, or for anyone who has an acute injury they can and should be getting treatment with a class 4 therapeutic laser as soon as possible.

In 2014, a chiropractor by the name of Dr. Andrew Hall was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). He was told he had an 80% chance of dying within five years. IPF is a terminal and progressive disease. The scar tissue in the lungs interferes with oxygen exchange the patient's blood oxygen levels slowly decrease. It is a long, slow and painful death.

Given this diagnosis, Dr. Hall decided to treat himself with his class 4 therapeutic laser. After a few months he had a follow up visit with his pulmonologist who expressed great surprise at finding that Dr. Hall’s pulmonary function tests and blood oxygen levels had improved! That never happens with IPF!

As time went by Dr. Hall continued to treat himself with his class 4 therapeutic laser. Since then, studies have shown that infrared therapeutic laser will help to prevent scar tissue from growing in the lungs and can also help with remodeling to healthy collagen tissues.

Dr. Hall has created a website, ipflaserstudy.com on which he gives information about therapeutic laser treatments for IPF. He continues to be active today, more than seven years after his initial diagnosis. He has shared treatment information with doctors around the world and hundreds of patients have benefited from the laser treatments.

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is another progressive disease for which modern medicine does not have an answer. High blood sugar levels slowly degrade the lining of the arteries in the extremities. The legs, foot and toes are most affected because the effects of gravity and the length of the nerves that travel from the spinal cord to the toes. Lack of blood flow to the peripheral nerves leads to improper nerve function and the patient will experience bizarre sensations such as tingling and numbness, feeling like they are standing on marbles or in a campfire, and they may need to wake up in the middle of the night to rub their feet and stop the pain.

Class 4 therapeutic lasers help to improve peripheral circulation and improve the function of the peripheral nerves. This helps to restore proper sensation and reduce the symptoms associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. There are no side effects and studies have suggested a greater than 90% success rate in alleviating symptoms associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Three surprising uses for a class 4 therapeutic laser are acute injuries, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Thousands of patients have already benefited from these treatments and in the future class 4 therapeutic laser treatments will be an integral modality in all fields of health care.