Apparatus and methods for phototherapy

摘要

There is provided a phototherapy apparatus, in which the therapeutic light is delivered through or in proximity to one or more massage components. The massage component provides mechanical massage to the subject biological tissue and modifies the properties of the subject tissue in thickness, density, etc. to facilitate the absorption of the therapeutic light and enhance the effect of the phototherapy procedure.

主权项

1. A phototherapy apparatus for treatment of a biological tissue, the phototherapy apparatus comprising:
a hand piece; at least one light source that emits therapeutic light to be absorbed by the biological tissue to produce a first therapeutic effect; at least one rolling massage ball coupled within a chamber of the hand piece and transparent to the therapeutic light, wherein the at least one rolling massage ball can rotate in all directions so as to provide mechanical massage to the biological tissue to produce a second therapeutic effect; an optical fiber that receives the therapeutic light emitted by the at least one light source and that carries the therapeutic light; and a beam expander coupled to the optical fiber and configured to transmit the therapeutic light carried by the optical fiber, the beam expander positioned external of and spaced apart from the at least one rolling massage ball such that the therapeutic light is delivered from the beam expander onto an outer surface of the at least one rolling massage ball and through the at least one rolling massage ball and such that the therapeutic light and the mechanical massage can be applied to the biological tissue in a concerted manner.