Laser therapy: what is it?

14.11.2025
Laser therapy, as an innovative medical treatment, uses focused laser light to stimulate regenerative processes in the body. This non-invasive method accelerates wound healing, reduces pain and inflammation, making it an attractive alternative to traditional therapies. Thanks to the ability to precisely adjust the wavelength, laser therapy is widely used in both aesthetic medicine and physiotherapy. This method can improve the quality of life for patients with various health conditions.
What is laser therapy?

Laser therapy is an innovative form of treatment that uses laser light to stimulate regenerative processes in the body. Medical lasers emit a focused beam of light, allowing for precise delivery of energy to a specific area of the body. This can help accelerate wound healing, reduce pain, and inflammation.

This technology can be used to treat many cellular-level conditions. What is the principle of laser therapy? This process involves delivering concentrated light energy to tissues, resulting in an increase in ATP synthesis, improved microcirculation, and reduction in swelling and inflammation.

Laser therapy:

  • accelerates wound healing processes,
  • relieves pain and swelling,
  • supports muscle and joint function.

One of the advantages of this method is its low invasiveness and pain, making it an attractive alternative to traditional treatment methods. It can be used for both acute and chronic inflammatory conditions. Laser therapy has a wide range of applications - from supporting wound healing to post-injury rehabilitation.

Indications for laser therapy include:

  • sports injuries,
  • rheumatic diseases,
  • chronic spinal problems.

Main contraindications for therapy are malignant tumors and pregnancy.

Laser procedures vary in terms of laser wavelength and exposure time, allowing for therapy to be tailored to the specific needs of each patient.

How does laser therapy work?

Laser therapy utilizes various types of lasers, including gas, semiconductor, and ruby lasers, operating in continuous or pulsed modes. This allows the therapy to be precisely tailored to the specific needs of each patient. In physiotherapy, laser biostimulation involves directing light into the appropriate depth of tissues, where light energy is transformed into biological energy, initiating photochemical processes.

Laser therapy utilizes the interaction of electromagnetic waves with the active medium, resulting in the generation of radiation. The effectiveness of the therapy is influenced by the appropriate selection of the laser wavelength and exposure time to the radiation. This method is versatile and non-invasive, providing effective support in combating both acute and chronic inflammatory conditions without the need for more invasive methods. Laser therapy is therefore a valuable alternative to traditional treatment methods for many cellular-level disorders.

What are the therapeutic effects of laser therapy?

Laser therapy brings many health benefits to patients. Its anti-inflammatory action supports the treatment of various conditions. Additionally, this method alleviates pain in both acute and chronic states. It also improves microcirculation, increasing the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to tissues, which promotes faster wound healing.

Laser therapy also reduces swelling after injuries or surgeries. Another important aspect of laser therapy is its biostimulatory properties. Laser therapy stimulates cells to regenerate, enhancing their repair functions, which speeds up the return of patients to full functionality after injuries and surgical procedures.

Laser therapy enables precise removal of damaged tissues with minimal risk of complications. As a result, it provides effective support for traditional medical and rehabilitation therapies, ensuring a high level of safety for patients.

What are the benefits of laser therapy?

Laser therapy brings numerous benefits to patients. First of all, it is distinguished by precision of action, as the laser allows directing the light beam to a specific area of the body, increasing the effectiveness of the treatment and limiting damage to surrounding tissues. Other advantages of laser therapy include:

  • lower risk of complications compared to traditional treatment methods,
  • no direct contact of the tool with patient tissues, significantly reducing the risk of infection,
  • shortening of the recovery period after procedures,
  • faster return to daily duties due to minimal damage and effective tissue regeneration,
  • minimal thermal effect that does not exacerbate the inflammatory state.

Laser therapy alleviates pain and reduces swelling. It provides relief to individuals suffering from chronic pain and can be used as a complement to other therapies or as a standalone treatment method for various conditions.

Indications for the use of laser therapy

Laser therapy is commonly used in the treatment of various conditions, especially those of rheumatic and degenerative origin. These diseases often cause painful changes in joints and soft tissues. This method is also effective in the case of carpal tunnel syndrome, which is important for people performing precision work.

When dealing with skin injuries or healing difficulties, laser therapy accelerates the tissue regeneration process, reducing the risk of complications and infections. It is also recommended for conditions such as heel spurs, golfer's elbow, or tennis elbow. Laser therapy treatments are also popular in aesthetic medicine.

Lasers are used to remove unwanted hair, eliminate varicose veins, and get rid of skin discolorations. Thanks to lasers, skin can be smoothed without the need for invasive surgical methods. The biostimulatory properties of laser therapy help effectively treat inflammatory conditions in soft tissues and muscle contractures.

Contraindications to laser therapy

Laser therapy is very effective in many situations, but it doesn't always work. There are significant contraindications to laser treatments, such as:

  • pregnancy,
  • cancer,
  • use of photosensitizing drugs,
  • epilepsy (due to the possible risk of seizures),
  • fever, viral and bacterial infections.

Additionally, exhaustion and gastrointestinal bleeding are serious contraindications for the use of laser therapy. Taking anticoagulant and steroid medications increases the likelihood of complications during procedures. Therefore, before starting therapy, it is necessary to carefully assess the patient's health condition and consult with a specialist doctor.

Types of laser therapy

Laser therapy uses both low and high energy lasers. In physiotherapy, low-level laser therapy has gained particular popularity, which is done using special probes applied either in contact or non-contact mode.

With the use of laser therapy, procedures such as:

Laser hair removal allows for permanent hair removal. Closing blood vessels with a laser reduces the visibility of blood vessels, and reducing pigmentation improves skin appearance by evening out pigmentation.

Each of these procedures can be tailored to specific patient needs by modifying the laser wavelength and duration of action. Such precise adjustment of laser parameters minimizes the risk of side effects and increases therapy effectiveness. Therefore, laser therapy is widely used in aesthetic medicine, providing safe and effective improvement of patients' skin condition.

The use of laser therapy in medicine and physiotherapy

Laser therapy plays a significant role in both medicine and physiotherapy. It is used in:

  • surgery,
  • aesthetic medicine,
  • dentistry,
  • ophthalmology,
  • oncology.

The laser enables precise removal of damaged tissues, while minimizing the risk of complications. In physiotherapy, it supports the treatment of musculoskeletal problems, scars, and pressure sores, significantly speeding up the healing process of wounds and post-injury regeneration.

Thanks to its biostimulatory properties, the laser supports the functioning of muscles and joints. Additionally, it reduces pain and inflammation, thereby improving the quality of life for individuals suffering from chronic musculoskeletal conditions.

The wide range of applications of laser therapy makes it an effective support for traditional medical and rehabilitation therapies. Its low invasiveness and precise targeting of specific body areas make it a safe and efficient therapeutic solution.