CLT Patient Selection & Contraindications 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient with a history of epilepsy requests laser therapy. What is the primary concern?
- Laser light may trigger photosensitive seizures (Correct answer)
- Epilepsy medications reduce tissue healing
- The patient cannot provide informed consent
- Epilepsy increases risk of skin burns
Correct answer: Laser light may trigger photosensitive seizures
Photosensitive epilepsy is a contraindication because pulsed or stroboscopic laser light can trigger seizures in susceptible individuals.
Question 2: Which skin condition is an absolute contraindication for laser therapy over the affected area?
- Mild acne
- Active herpes simplex outbreak (Correct answer)
- Dry skin
- Mild psoriasis
Correct answer: Active herpes simplex outbreak
Active herpes simplex lesions are a contraindication because laser energy can spread the virus and worsen the outbreak.
Question 3: A patient is taking St. John's Wort. Why is this relevant to laser therapy patient selection?
- It increases blood pressure, raising burn risk
- It is a photosensitizing supplement that increases skin sensitivity (Correct answer)
- It reduces collagen synthesis
- It interferes with the laser equipment calibration
Correct answer: It is a photosensitizing supplement that increases skin sensitivity
St. John's Wort is a known photosensitizer that can increase the skin's sensitivity to light energy, raising the risk of adverse reactions.
Question 4: Laser therapy is generally contraindicated over which anatomical landmark?
- The deltoid muscle
- The lumbar paraspinals
- The thyroid gland (Correct answer)
- The quadriceps
Correct answer: The thyroid gland
Direct laser irradiation over the thyroid gland is contraindicated due to potential disruption of thyroid tissue function.
Question 5: A 35-year-old woman in her first trimester of pregnancy presents for knee pain. What is the appropriate course of action?
- Treat the knee with reduced power settings
- Avoid laser therapy during the first trimester only
- Defer laser therapy for the duration of the pregnancy (Correct answer)
- Proceed normally as the knee is far from the fetus
Correct answer: Defer laser therapy for the duration of the pregnancy
Pregnancy is a systemic contraindication, and laser therapy should be deferred for the entire duration regardless of treatment location.
Question 6: Which patient scenario requires special caution before treating the low back with laser therapy?
- Patient has mild hypertension
- Patient has a lumbar spinal cord stimulator implant (Correct answer)
- Patient has seasonal allergies
- Patient reports chronic fatigue
Correct answer: Patient has a lumbar spinal cord stimulator implant
Electronic implants such as spinal cord stimulators can be damaged or malfunction when exposed to laser energy in the vicinity.
Question 7: A patient reports recent cortisone injection at the treatment site 3 days ago. What should the therapist do?
- Treat immediately at full dose
- Postpone laser therapy for at least 2 weeks post-injection (Correct answer)
- Double the treatment time to compensate
- Apply laser only to the surrounding tissue
Correct answer: Postpone laser therapy for at least 2 weeks post-injection
Recent corticosteroid injections temporarily alter tissue response, and a waiting period of at least 2 weeks is recommended before laser treatment at that site.
CLT Patient Selection & Contraindications 2
A patient with a history of epilepsy requests laser therapy.
What is the primary concern?