The Science Behind Pilot Diode Lasers
The Pilot Diode Laser is ideal in delivering powerful laser energy to treatment areas, greatly improving the healing process and offering advanced laser treatment for temporary relief of minor muscle and joint pain, stiffness, minor arthritis, muscle spasm, and temporary increase in circulation and more.
Pilot Diode Lasers are Chiropractors and Physical Therapists most user-friendly diode lasers to date. With a simplified control panel, the Pilot Diode Lasers feature the latest and finest solid-state diode laser technology, accurate power and a consistent wavelength for smooth and precise therapeutic procedures.
The term laser stand for "Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation", which means a device that produces and amplifies light. The wavelength of the light produced will determine what types of tissue can be affected by the light's energy. Light waves that emanate from within the visible and near-infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum will be readily absorbed into the body pigments like melanin in the skin and heme found within hemoglobin in blood. They will have virtually no affinity for water and thus, it won't be absorbed as the surface as it enters soft tissue. With a frequency of 810+/-20 nano-meters, the Pilot Diode Laser's wavelength falls into the lower end of the near-infrared spectrum, making it suitable for soft-tissue applications.
Laser light can be emitted in either a continuous or pulsed temporal mode and the Pilot Diode Lasers are designed to deliver both. Lasers require a power supply and a active medium in order to produce light. The Pilot Diode Lasers feature a semi-conductor crystal that is activated or "pumped" when an electrical current is passed through it. This light is then collimated into a very small thread of light and directed into a fiber-optic which carries it to the target tissue.
The laser creates an intense beam of light energy that moves through a fiber-optic cord. When it enters the target tissue. the energy is converted into heat as a result of the tissue's pigmentation.
When using Pilot Diode Lasers, Chiropractors and Physical Therapists can change the mode of the laser (either pulsed or continuous wave), the power in Watts and the current status - such as ready or stand-by.
In the continuous mode, the treatment can be performed faster and more efficiently. In this mode, the laser is faster and more efficient when used by experienced laser doctors or technicians. In the pulsed mode, the energy flow is interrupted by an electrical system. The pulsed mode is less aggressive and allows some tissue cooling between pulses. Selection of the mode used is up to the discretion of the operator, but care must be taken when moving from the pulsed mode with higher set powers to a continuous wave mode. Operators must adjust the power downward when switching to the continuous wave mode.
The power of laser is described in Watts which is the rate of doing work. One Watt is equal to 1 Joule per second and higher powers fork faster. When Pilot Diode Lasers are used in the continuous wave mode, the average power will be what the operator selects on the control panel. When used in pulsed mode, the pulse duration and number of pulses per second have been fixed at the factory, so neither can be adjusted by the operator. The average power will be half of the set power since the laser is only emitting energy half the time when in the pulsed mode.
The primary use of the Pilot Diode Laser is to promote healing for injured or aggravated tissues. Since there is a favorable response to laser treatment, the resultant healing is less complicated and often shorter when compared to traditional techniques. Diode lasers can be used with a special hand-piece to administer pain therapy through bio-stimulation and increase blood flow to patients suffering join pain. The bio-stimulating effects of laser therapy also reduce inflammation.
When using the Pilot for therapeutic procedures position the hand-piece over the target are and lightly contract the end of the hand-piece onto the tissue. Press and hold the foot pedal down. Use consistent, circular motions to move the hand-piece over the target area. Avoid holding the hand-piece over the same areas for more than a few seconds. Small treatment areas may not require the full 300 seconds of exposure time.