Abstract
The question of lasers' exclusivity, as well as the degree of influence of special properties of low-intensity laser illumination (LILI), such as coherence, polarity and monochromaticity, on the effectiveness of low level laser therapy (LLLT) continues to cause arguments.The study analyzes publications from 1973 to 2016, in which laser and conventional light sources are compared, and the following conclusions are drawn. First, there are a lot of publications with incorrect comparison or unfounded statements. Secondly, other sources of light are often meant by LILI without any justification. Thirdly, all studies, in which the comparison is carried out correctly and close parameters of the impact and the model are used, have a firm conclusion that laser light is much more effective. Fourthly, it is uniquely identified that the most important parameter that determines the efficiency of lasers is monochromaticity, i.e., a much narrower spectral width than for all other light sources.Only laser light sources can be used for LLLT!
Highlights
Historical backgroundTherapeutic properties of "concentrated" light, i.e. lamp (e.g. UV, blue or red) isolated by narrow part light filter from total spectral irradiation range, were known already in the nineteenth century
The question of lasers' exclusivity, as well as the degree of influence of special properties of low-intensity laser illumination (LILI), such as coherence, polarity and monochromaticity, on the effectiveness of low level laser therapy (LLLT) continues to cause arguments
Laser therapy is a vivid example of interdisciplinary medicine, which was based on the fundamental research in the field of physiology, biophysics and biochemistry, resulting in the emergence of highly effective therapeutic techniques that take into account the individual characteristics of the patient
Summary
Therapeutic properties of "concentrated" light, i.e. lamp (e.g. UV, blue or red) isolated by narrow part light filter from total spectral irradiation range, were known already in the nineteenth century. The term Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) originally came about to be about lasers [20], but more and more often, the abbreviation LLLT was read as "low level laser (light) therapy" [21, 22], or the word “laser” was replaced by “light” as a synonym [23], unequivocally declaring the alleged absence of differences [24] and guided by good intentions, so as not to "get confused" [25] The motivation for these actions is strange: "Both laser and ordinary light are photons, light is light, so there is no difference" [26, 24].
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