Protocols Uncovered: The Truth About Dosing
Just like the prescription of drugs, there is an appropriate target dose of laser therapy energy: where oral medications are measured in milligrams or micrograms, laser therapy doses are measured in Joules per square cm. Class IV laser therapy target doses are determined by the type of condition being treated, the depth of the target tissue, and the patient’s individual absorption characteristics.
A target dose of 8 to 10 Joules/cm2 is recommended for deep conditions (conditions beneath the surface that you cannot “see”). This enables a therapeutic amount of light to penetrate to the target tissue. A target dose of 3 to 4 Joules/cm2 is recommended for superficial conditions, or areas that can be visualized (wounds, skin infections, etc.)
Some laser therapy devices come with preset protocols to help determine target doses for a wide variety of conditions. Companion Therapy Lasers’ SmartCoat+ technology adjusts the treatment protocol based on a patient’s species, condition, and individual absorption characteristics (coat color and length, weight, body type, and skin color). The Companion Therapy device uses this information to adjust the proper blend of 980 nm and 810 nm therapeutic light to ensure optimal penetration and delivery of a therapeutic dose.
The key to achieving consistent results is to administer an effective therapeutic dose of 8 to10 J/cm2 for deep conditions and 3 to 4 J/cm2 for superficial conditions.
