Cold laser therapy—also called low-level or near-infrared laser therapy—uses low-level light energy to treat a wide array of conditions, ranging from sprains, tendinitis, back pain, and arthritis to temporomandibular disorder (chronic jaw pain), carpal tunnel syndrome, diabetic neuropathy, fibromyalgia, and leg ulcers. Used by some physical therapists, physiatrists, chiropractors, and occupational therapists, it is different from conventional “hot” laser surgery. The FDA has cleared more than two dozen cold laser devices, including some sold on the Internet for home use, for the temporary relief of pain, which means only that they are safe, not necessarily that they are effective. The therapy is noninvasive and painless; no serious side effects have been reported.

How Does Cold Laser Therapy Work?

During this procedure, different wavelengths and outputs of low-level light are applied directly to a targeted area. The body tissue then absorbs the light. The red and near-infrared light cause a reaction, and the damaged cells respond with a physiological reaction that promotes regeneration.

Superficial tissue is commonly treated with wavelengths between 600 and 700 nanometers (nm). For deeper penetration, wavelengths between 780 and 950 nm are used.

Although you’ll feel the laser device touching your skin, the procedure is painless and noninvasive. There will be no sound and you’ll feel no vibration or heat. Each treatment typically takes only a few minutes.