When you go to see a doctor, you probably are familiar with some of the equipment your physician might use. Stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, and otoscopes used to look in ears and mouths are all fairly common at your annual checkup. But when visiting a specialist, you could be seeing different technology altogether, and some of it utilizes medical lasers.
How are medical lasers used on patients? Here are some of the most common settings where you may see this technology applied:
- Laser Pain Therapy: Approximately 31 million Americans will deal with low back pain at some point during their lives. In total, more than 1.5 billion people worldwide are estimated to live with chronic pain. To treat conditions such as low back pain, leg pain, and other issues brought about by injury or aging, a doctor may prescribe laser therapy to reduce pain and inflammation. Medical lasers are becoming an alternative to prescription medications, and they may also work in conjunction with other treatments.
- Cosmetic Treatments: Another place you’ve probably seen non-surgical lasers used is in a cosmetic specialist’s office. Treatments such as laser hair removal, laser liposuction, and even certain types of facials all use lasers to keep skin smooth and beautiful. This is a treatment that is growing in popularity because it is noninvasive and often relatively painless, and it can go quickly for people who can’t afford the downtime that surgery brings.
- Veterinary Lasers: Like the medical applications used on humans, veterinary laser therapy helps relieve pain in animals for a variety of conditions. For example, a vet may use equine laser therapy on a farm horse or other type of livestock. This type of treatment may even be used by your local vet when you take your cat or dog in for a visit.
Want to know more about laser pain therapy and other treatments that utilize this cutting edge technology? Be sure to get in touch with a specialist or leave a comment in the space provided. Visit here for more information.
