COLD LASER THERAPY
Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT), also known as cold laser therapy, is a non-invasive treatment option that has been proven to work at the cellular level to reduce pain and inflammation, facilitate faster healing, and improve joint health. At ARC, we use Class IIIB Cold Laser to treat a variety of conditions. Contrary to the name, cold laser therapy does not actually feel cold. This modality does not work through thermal effects, rather it works through a mechanism known as photobiomodulation.
During sessions, your pet typically will not feel anything at the time, but will often feel comfort following the treatment.
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Wounds and abrasions
Muscle spasms, strains and sprains
Ligament and tendon injuries
Hematomas and gross edema
Osteoarthritis
Acute and chronic inflammation
Acute and chronic pain
Myofascial trigger points and pain points
Non-union and small-bone fractures
Neuralgia and neuritis
Muscle contractures/scar tissue
Generalized pain
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Facilitates faster healing by increasing cellular proliferation (the rate at which cells reproduce)
Reduces pain by stimulating endorphin receptors (the body’s natural “pain killer” hormone)
Reduces inflammation by stimulating the lymphatic system
Increases blood flow by means of vasodilation and angiogenesis.
Improves the tensile strength of tissues by increasing myofibroblast activity
Improves joint health by stimulating chondrocytes (the cells that produce cartilage)
Increases collagen synthesis
Enhances immune cell activity
RADIAL SHOCKWAVE THERAPY
Radial shockwave is a pressure wave system. The transmitter contains a small metal bullet that gets rapidly forced against the transmitter, creating a pressure wave that transmits into the tissue that the transmitter is pressed against. The end result is a stimulus that increases blood flow to the affected area which can help stimulate healing and pain relief and cause the release of growth factors and recruitment of stem cells. Most animals feel good after treatment. Occasionally, they are a little stiff immediately after application, but it is usually short lived and resolves with movement.
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Subacute or chronic soft tissue injuries such as tendinopathies, muscle strains/sprains, and ligament strains/sprains
Myofascial pain therapy
Calcific lesions
Subacute/chronic joint pathologies such as osteoarthritis, meniscal injuries and labral tears
Muscle and connective tissue activation
Tendon attachment site and ligament illnesses
Delayed union/non-union fractures (most effective when the bone has reached the stage of callus formation)
Stress fractures
Lumbosacral disc disease
Avascular necrosis
“Mechanical back pain”
Neurogenic muscular spasticity and hypertonia
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The device is a compressed air-operated ballistic shock wave generator. The shock waves in the device are generated with a precision ballistic mechanism in the handpiece. A projectile is accelerated by compressed air and the motion and weight of this projectile produces kinetic energy. When the projectile impacts against an immovable surface, the shock transmitter, this kinetic energy is converted into sound energy. This acoustic pulse is transmitted into the tissue to directly via the hand-held transmitter.
These waves are physically classified as radial pressure waves. The applied pressure pulse propagates radially within the tissue and has a therapeutic effect on areas of the tissue near the surface, in particular. The primary result is a high-energy acoustic wave directly impacting the target tissue, provoking the body’s healing and repair processes.
Pain Relief: Shockwave relieves pain via the Gate Control Theory of Pain. Pain is transmitted from a location within the body via signals in the nervous system. The Gate Control Theory of Pain refers to “nerve gates” in the spinal cord that can open or close. If these gates are open, the pain signals will continue to travel to the brain. If these gates are closed, the pain signals are prevented from reaching the brain, resulting in suppressed pain. Radial Shockwave closes these gates resulting in greatly reduced pain, and at times, eliminates pain all together.
Cavitation: Similar to therapeutic ultrasound, radial shockwave therapy causes cavitation within tissues. Cavitation is the rapid formation, expansion, and forceful collapse of vapor bubbles in liquids (or in this case tissues). There are 2 types of cavitation: stable and unstable. Stable cavitation occurs with radial shockwave therapy. The gas bubbles within the tissues cause a cavity, which acts to enhance the acoustic streaming effects of the kinectic energy waves. Acoustic streaming can alter cellular diffusion rates and membrane permeability. The end result is increased cellular activity.
While the mechanism for the effects of radial shockwave are still being studied, the most strongly established treatment effects are: mechanical stimulation, increased local blood flow, increased in cellular activity (release of substance P, prostaglandin E2, NO, TGF β, VEGF, and other inflammatory cytokines), transient effect on afferent nerves, and break down calcific deposits. When used on a chronic injury, these physiological effects will essentially re-start the healing process by taking the injured tissue from the chronic state to a more acute state.
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Side effects from radial shockwave therapy are uncommon, but can occur.
These include:
Swelling, reddening, hematomas
Petechiae
Pain
* If your pet experiences any of these side effects, they will generally abate after 5 to 10 days*
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Generally no. The pressure system feels similar to an intense massage. If the area that is being treated is particularly painful, the treatment may be uncomfortable. We want your pet to have a positive experience with treatment and make sure to keep everything within his or her tolerance levels. If your pet seems uncomfortable at any time, we will either decrease the intensity of the treatment or may stop the session if he or she simply is not tolerating it.
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There is a small projectile within the handle of the radial shockwave system which rapidly bounces back and forth creating the actual “pressure waves”. During treatment, you will hear a rapid knocking sound. This sound can be intimidating for some pets. For this reason, we will always begin your pet’s first session by acclimating him/her to the sound of the machine. In some cases, if your pet is very sound sensitive, it may take 2-3 sessions of acclimation prior to applying the treatment in order to ensure that he or she continues to have a positive experience.
focused SHOCKWAVE THERAPY
Focused shockwave therapy is an advanced, non-invasive treatment we use to help reduce pain and accelerate healing in dogs with musculoskeletal conditions. This therapy delivers targeted acoustic waves deep into affected tissues, stimulating blood flow, breaking down scar tissue, and promoting the body’s natural healing response.
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It is especially beneficial for conditions such as tendon and ligament injuries, chronic arthritis, muscle tightness, and areas of delayed healing.
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Most dogs tolerate treatment very well. You may notice mild sensitivity in certain areas, but sessions are generally quick and comfortable.
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No-shockwave therapy is performed while your dog is awake, and sedation is typically not needed.
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This varies by condition, but many dogs benefit from a series of 3–6 treatments spaced over several weeks.
THERAPEUTIC ULTRASOUND
Therapeutic ultrasound (TU) is a common tool used in human physical therapy clinics to create a deep heat within tissues, increase the rate of healing, decrease pain, and decrease inflammation (when used in a pulsed mode). Therapeutic ultrasound is not to be confused with diagnostic ultrasound. While both utilize sound waves, therapeutic ultrasound emits a different wavelength of sound compared to diagnostic ultrasound and does not produce any images of the inside of the body.
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Muscle contractures
Scar tissue formation
Muscle/trigger point dysfunction
Tendon and ligament injuries
Fractures
Pain
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Breaks down scar tissue
Improves tissue extensibility
Improves circulation
Decreases pain
Creates a deep heat to relieve muscle spasms and pain
Increases healing rates
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Therapeutic ultrasound works by two mechanisms: thermal effects and non-thermal effects.
Thermal Effects: Therapeutic ultrasound creates a deep heat within tissues. This is highly effective for improving the flexibility of tissues and is often used to treat muscle spasms and contractures. Ultrasound is also very effective for preparing tissues prior to manual therapy techniques. These thermal effects occur deep within the tissues and typically the patient experiences a comfortable warming sensation.
Non-Thermal Effects: Therapeutic ultrasound also works by a process referred to as “cavitation”. Cavitation is the creation of microscopic gas bubbles that are rapidly expanding and contracting within tissues. Cavitation is effective for speeding cellular processes, facilitating healing, and increasing blood flow.
ELECTRICAL MUSCLE STIMULATION
Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS), also known as Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES), is utilized to prevent disuse muscle atrophy and/or for neuromuscular re-education. EMS works by sending an electrical impulse into a muscle group, eliciting a contraction. For a muscle to contract, the central nervous system will send an electrical signal through the body via neurons. Once this signal reaches its destination, the result is called an action potential. Once these action potentials build within the cells of muscles, the physiological effects result in a muscle contraction. EMS works by mimicking the action potential at a specific muscle group.
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EMS is particularly effective for patients that are immediately post-surgery and are not able or not allowed to use the limb they had surgery on or patients that have neurologic impairments. When muscles are not in use, they lose mass very quickly (referred to as muscle atrophy). EMS serves as a tool to help slow and/or prevent atrophy. Additionally, by mimicking the action potentials in a muscle group, EMS can help re-educate the nerves in the area so that a patient suffering from neurologic dysfunction can begin to progress towards function. When working with neurologically impaired patients, we will often perform various functional exercises with patients while their muscles are contracting with EMS, which emphasizes neuromuscular re-education.
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While both utilize an electrical impulse, EMS is different than TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation). TENS is widely used in human physical therapy for pain relief. While both modalities look very similar, EMS does not provide any pain relief. The units that we use at ARC and sell to clients for home use, however, are combination units and have the capability to do both EMS and TENS.
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During treatments, many pets can feel their muscles activating in a pulsing “twitch”, but this is kept at a comfortable intensity
MICROCURRENT ELECTRICAL THERAPY
Microcurrent Electrical Therapy (MET) and Cranial Electrical Stimulation (CES) both use a very specific, small wavelength of electricity (less than 1 mA). Here at ARC, we use an AlphaStim® unit to treat primarily pain disorders. MET can be administered to a specific area of the body using either probes or electrodes and CES is administered using ear clips.
While MET and CES do utilize an electrical current, they do not use the same physiologic mechanism as TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) in mediating pain. MET and CES have a cumulative effect, and studies have shown that many patients have a more long-term reduction in pain with regular treatments.
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Pain Disorders
Paresis and Neurologic Dysfunction
Sprains, Strains, and Spasms
Post-Operative Pain and Scars
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Pain disorders
Post-Operative Pain
Paresis and Neurologic Dysfunction
Depression
Anxiety
Insomnia