Mechanisms of the analgesic effect of therapeutic lasers in vivo

L Navratil (1) and I Dylevsky (2)

1: Outpatient Department of Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics, First Medical Faculty, and 2: Department of Functional Anatomy, Second Medical Faculty and Faculty of Physical Education Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

The analgesic effects in the course of application of therapeutic lasers to affected tissue have been described in a number of works in the literature. Although a few scientific- based reports have appeared, those on laser-induced analgesia are mainly clinical works describing the effect of the therapy which, however, do not study the mechanism of the laser action.

There are several different possible responses induced by non-invasive low level laser therapy (LLLT). The purpose of the present communication is to review the arrangement and characterization of these responses. By being aware of these effects, the laser therapist can acquire a physiological and morphological scheme making possible the appropriate choice of the site of application of LLLT, choice of the irradiation technique, and selection of appropriate doses.