Infrared Light Therapy - Treating Equine Diseases and Wounds

Infrared therapy is a safe, effective tool in equine wound and infection management. Not only does it accelerate healing and reduce swelling and inflammation, early application of infrared therapy can reduce scarring and ease pain.

How does infrared therapy help heal infections?

Infrared therapy works most effectively on soft tissue areas, especially those at or near the surface of the skin. The heat and energy generated by infrared stimulates cell activity and increases blood flow to the area, bringing healing oxygen and nutrients. The increased metabolic activity and circulation around the treatment area will also help to reduce inflammation, and consequently ease pain and sensitivity. And that's not all - targeted infrared therapy and healing wounds can reduce scarring, and prevent formation of 'proud flesh' or excessive scarring.

Infrared can also help with more systematic infections. 'Blanket' infrared treatment, where infrared rugs are used for an all-over body treatment, can help horses recover from fever and disease. Infrared doesn't directly treat disease, but by stimulating the horse's metabolism and improving blood flow around the body the horse's own system can attack the infection more effectively. This is especially important for horses where their illness has significantly restricted their mobility, and they can't use normal movement to maintain circulation and metabolic function.

Is there a risk?

Infrared therapy comes with very few risks and virtually no side effects. You don't need a veterinarian to get the equipment or apply the therapy. However, there are some cases where it can be dangerous. 'Trapped' infections, where a wound has healed over with an infection trapped under the scab or scar, can be aggravated by infrared therapy, and your veterinarian may want to conduct some initial treatments to release the infection. Severe fever is another contraindication for infrared, where reducing the horse's body temperature is the first priority. If you are considering using infrared for infection management, discuss your plans with your vet first and decide on the right combination of treatments.

Infrared therapy isn't a replacement for antibiotic or antiviral medications. However, thoughtful application of infrared therapy in infection management can reduce the need for medications, and reduce the length of time you need them.

What equipment do I need?

The equipment you need to use infrared therapy is simple and easy to use, and there a number of options you can choose. The up-front investment may seem like a lot compared to a tub of wound cream, but remember the equipment doesn't run out, expire, or get contaminated like most topical treatments. An investment now in infrared therapy equipment will give you a versatile, easy to use, and effective preventative and therapeutic tool in your equine veterinary supplies. Here are some of the options for treating equine wounds and diseases with infrared therapy.

• Prolotex leg wraps: Prolotex uses bioceramic technology, which uses a mixture of chemicals that naturally emit infrared rays. The chemicals used in Prolotex leg wraps are deeply penetrated into the fabrics, so they don't rub off or wash out. You can use the leg wraps for surface injuries on the legs, but you can also apply the bioceramic fabric as a pad over injuries on other parts of the horse's body, although fixing the bandage can be tricky.
• Revitavet IR2: The Revitavet IR2 system uses actual LED lights to emit the infrared. This means you can pinpoint the specific are you want to treat, and adjust the wavelengths for lesser or greater tissue penetration. It is a bigger investment than bioceramics, but once you've got the base unit, you can get different treatment products, including multipurpose pads, leg wraps, and hock boots. The unit is rechargeable, so you don't need to plug it in while it's on the horse, but you do need to remember to recharge it!
• Thermotex: Thermotex uses electrically generated infrared to create therapeutic heat and penetration. The benefit of Theormotex is the greater intensity than you can get from bioceramics, but the downside is the fittings have to stay plugged in, meaning you need to keep the horse near an electrical outlet. Thermotex makes a variety of packages including leg wraps and stable blankets, making Thermotex best for large-area treatments.
• Remember that whichever infrared treatment type you chose, you not only have a great tool for infection management, you can also use the equipment for treating all kinds of other injuries, and for preventative uses too!

This is another article in the series on the uses of infrared light therapy for treating several different equine ailments. This article deals with the use of light therapy to treat equine diseases and wounds. Let us save you time and money in all of your Equine needs and horse grooming supplies. We do the the comparisons and you make the right selections, with knowledge!