Chiropractic laser therapy has become essential for pain management, tissue repair, and inflammation reduction. With Class 3B and 4 lasers widely available, understanding their distinctions is crucial. While both utilize photobiomodulation, their power levels, treatment depths, and applications differ significantly. Whether you're looking to enhance patient care or expand treatment options, knowing the strengths and limitations of each will help you make an informed decision. Let’s explore the key differences and how they impact chiropractic treatment.
Both classes utilize the process of photobiomodulation to stimulate cellular processes, promote tissue repair, reduce inflammation, and relieve pain. However, they do so in a slightly different way.
The FDA defines a Class 3B as a device with a power output between 5500mW and 0.005-0.5W. These devices may or may not use the same wavelengths as higher-power lasers.
These lasers effectively treat shallow injuries since they have a lower intensity output and do not penetrate as deep into the body tissues. They’re particularly helpful when treating areas directly beneath the skin and less dense body regions, like the hands, wrists, and ankles. Since they’re cold lasers, they also benefit patients who are particularly sensitive to heat.
This type of laser is classified as any device with a power output above 500mW (0.5W), with some models going as high as 60W. However, as their power increases above 45W, their safety becomes more of a concern because you need to keep the wand moving to prevent burning the skin. This is why powers of around 10W are used more commonly in therapeutic settings, as they produce only a mild warmth without the potential to burn the skin.
Class IV lasers have many benefits for use in chiropractic clinics. One is the superior pain relief they offer by promoting healing, enhancing circulation, and reducing inflammation at the cellular level while also providing a mild warmth that patients find immediately comforting.
Since they can safely and effectively reach further into the body, they allow for better penetration into the bones, joints, and muscles, making them highly beneficial for chiropractic care. The higher powers also reduce the need to press the wand into the skin, which helps reduce the risk of bruising.
Class 3B is a lower-power laser, between 0.005 and 0.5W, which makes it best for superficial injuries like those in the hands, wrist, or ankles, while the higher-power ones greater than 0.5W are best for deeper bone, joint, and tissue injuries and conditions spread over a larger area. Still, Class 4 generally has adjustable power levels, so you could lower it to less than 0.5W range and use it just like the lower classes, making it a more versatile piece of equipment for treating a wider range of conditions.
Since they have significant differences in power, their treatment strategies are also different. Class 3B lasers are less intense and are more useful for shallower conditions. They are often used to treat a group of small points where the laser wand is held in one place with direct contact with the skin for the duration of the point treatment. Class IV treatments can be used over a much larger area, like the lower back, and the wand will be moved throughout the treatment area and can be administered through contact or non-contact methods.
Since lasers are used to treat a wide variety of conditions, dosages can be complex. Class 3 typically involves treating smaller areas over a longer period to achieve the correct dosage. On the other hand, higher-power lasers allow practitioners to achieve the desired dosage in a shorter time.
Other factors affect the dosage strategy for the particular condition being treated. For instance, the size of the injury, whether acute or chronic, and the progression of chronic disease also play a role. Furthermore, your patient's skin tone, body type, and even hair color can play a role in determining the effective dosage, and how they respond to their treatment may call for adjustments to your dosage strategy. When choosing a machine, look for one with variable power settings to allow you to customize the dosage strategies for your particular patient better.
Different wavelengths and dosage strategies are used to treat conditions at various depths. Some standard wavelengths in laser therapy are 635nm, 810nm, and 980nm. A 635nm wavelength is considered best for treating superficial conditions, while wavelengths between 800 and 1000nm are beneficial for treating conditions at greater depths. When choosing a machine for your practice, look for one with various wavelength options for greater versatility.
While both classes of lasers offer valuable benefits for chiropractic care, the right choice depends on your clinic’s needs. If your practice focuses on treating superficial injuries with precise point therapy, a Class 3B laser may be sufficient. However, for deeper tissue penetration, faster treatment times, and enhanced versatility, a Class 4 laser is often the better investment. By understanding power levels, dosage strategies, and wavelength options, you can select the ideal laser system to improve patient outcomes. Contact Maven Imaging today for more information on Chiropractic Laser Therapy equipment.