Red Light Therapy for Pain Management

Red Light Therapy, also known as low-level light therapy or photobiomodulation, is a form of alternative therapy that uses red and near-infrared light to stimulate healing, reduce inflammation, and relieve pain.

The therapy involves exposing the affected area to low-intensity red light, which penetrates the skin and stimulates the production of cellular energy in the mitochondria. This, in turn, triggers a series of cellular processes that reduce inflammation, increase blood flow, and promote tissue repair.

Red Light Therapy has been shown to be effective in treating a wide range of conditions, including chronic pain, arthritis, fibromyalgia, back pain, and muscle soreness.

One of the main benefits of Red Light Therapy is that it is non-invasive and does not cause any adverse side effects. Unlike other pain treatments such as medication, surgery, or physical therapy, red light therapy does not require any downtime or recovery period, making it a convenient option for people with busy schedules.

Research has shown that Red Light Therapy can be particularly effective in treating chronic pain. A study published in The Journal of Neuroinflammation found that Red Light Therapy significantly reduced pain and improved function in patients with chronic low back pain(1).

Another study published in Laser Therapy found Red Light Therapy significantly reduced return-to-play time(2) in injured university athletes compared to the control group. Red Light Therapy is also becoming increasingly popular in the field of sports medicine. Many professional athletes use Red Light Therapy to speed up recovery from injuries and improve performance.

In another study published in The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society Red Light Therapy was found to be effective in relieving pain and disability in degenerative osteoarthritis of the knee(3). Much of the research surrounding arthritis focuses on the ability of red light to produce an anti-inflammatory response in the body at the cellular level. This reduction in inflammation may involve reducing the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines produced by synoviocytes(4).

Schematic diagram of the mechanisms of Photobiomodulation (Red Light Therapy)

Red and near-infrared light within wavelengths (630-1000 nm) targets the mitochondrial enzyme cytochrome oxidase C resulting in (i) direct stimulation in mitochondrial respiration and (ii) dissociation of nitric oxide which indirectly increases mitochondrial respiration. These processes result in elevation of ATP, cAMP, reactive oxygen species and intracellular calcium which impact downstream signalling pathways that triggers increase in anti-inflammatory processes, protein synthesis, anti-apoptotic protein production, cellular repair/metabolism/proliferation/migration and antioxidants(5).

In conclusion, Red Light Therapy is a safe, non-invasive, and effective treatment option for pain management. If you are struggling with chronic pain or looking for a natural way to reduce inflammation and promote healing, consider trying Red Light Therapy treatments at Wellful Body. ---

Sources:

1. Red LED photobiomodulation reduces pain hypersensitivity and improves sensorimotor function following mild T10 hemicontusion spinal cord injury: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5000419/

2. 830 nm light-emitting diode (led) phototherapy significantly reduced return-to-play in injured university athletes: a pilot study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4846838/

3. Improvement of pain and disability in elderly patients with degenerative osteoarthritis of the knee treated with narrow-band light therapy: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1727843/

4. Low level light effects on inflammatory cytokine production by rheumatoid arthritis synoviocytes: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19347944/

5. Schematic diagram of the mechanisms of Photobiomodulation: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Schematic-diagram-of-the-mechanisms-of-photobiomodulation-near-infrared-light-within_fig1_321578491