Introduction
Light Therapy, also known as red light therapy, is known for relaxing and relieving muscle pain/spasms, joint aches, and stiffness related to arthritis while increasing local blood circulation1. This treatment stimulates and soothes aching muscles or joints of one’s body and improves its wellness. Light Therapy works by penetrating the skin and is absorbed by cells to trigger photobiomodulation (PBM) mechanisms, including the release of nitric oxide.
Besides, Light Therapy works reasonably well for minor sprains and injuries. It does not cause harm or increase heat/temperature in treated tissues, leading to a change in the tissue architecture2. When infrared light is combined with red light in one pad, then only the red light can be seen. It means that infrared light wavelength effuses its energy with more than 800 nm, which the human eye cannot see, reducing pain and increasing the blood flow motion.3,4
Light Therapy Affects Different Body Pains Positively
Muscle Sprain
Muscle sprain is one of the ailments that Light Therapy reduces pretty quickly. It’s caused by stretching/tearing muscle tissue connecting muscle to bone. The pain usually occurs in the lower back and at the back of the thighs.
Light Therapy heals or relieves this pain by penetrating light beneath the skin to reach muscle or aching joints. In effect, it helps cells absorb the light power and become more active. 4, 5
Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow is another type of pain that disturbs people at a high rate. It is commonly referred to as irritating the forearm muscle tissue to the elbow. It is caused by repetitive wrist and arm movements3.
Multiple mechanisms have been proposed to treat tennis elbow as a minor injury or sprain. But, pad therapy has been recognized as one of the best mechanisms to treat tennis elbow. It is because this treatment method relieves the pain by directing the light to areas that are injured without damaging the tissues. Also, Light Therapy promotes nitric oxide (NO) release as a photodissociation of NO from CCO, which subsequently increases the rate of ATP production and promotes vasodilation. 2.4.5
Low Back Pain
Additionally, Light Therapy treats and relieves low back pain with the same mechanism as a minor sprain or injury. Low back pain is a painful condition affecting the back and lower part of the spine. It is caused by injury sprain or strain. Some common causes of low back pain include improper lifting, poor posture, lack of regular exercise, arthritis, etc.
Light Therapy reaches the muscles, nerves, and other tissues. It stimulates the regeneration and repair of injured tissues, decreasing pain. It also increases blood flow to different body parts, making it possible for oxygen and nutrients to reach the cells, enabling them to function appropriately. 4, 5, 6
Muscle Spasms
Muscle spasms are among the types of discomfort treated by Light Therapy. Muscle spasms are involuntary contractions of muscles that are temporary, not harmful, but painful. This muscle cramp is commonly caused by overuse of strength, fatigue, low magnesium, or low potassium. They can occur in any body part, but they often affect the abdomen, thighs, hands/arms, and feet. Light Therapy’s role is with pain relief, increasing blood motion while stimulating cell regeneration. The device assists the mitochondria in muscle cells to accomplish their respiration cycle, resulting is less fatigue. 4, 5
Knee Pain
Lastly, Light Therapy relieves discomfort in various body parts, such as the knee. Knee pain may result from sitting on the knees for a long time, walking, bending, lifting, and standing. Those at risk of experiencing knee pain more often are athletes who run or play games with high levels of force on the knee.
Also, knee pain can be an outcome of aging, affecting the elderly with a more significant percentage of joint discomfort. But Light Therapy provides the appropriate pain relief for conditions including strained/sprained ligaments, tendonitis, arthritis, or cartilage tears. It operates by targeting the cellular origins of knee joint pain.5, 7
Conclusion
The reason why Light Therapy should be used for the above types of pain is that it offers painless remedies to individuals. Competitive athletes and weekend warriors benefit too. People can get back to their daily activities or players back to the game and perform at their prior level.
These light therapeutic remedies are advantageous because treatments are safe and can be used to treat multiple body areas. It heals the pain of the upper or lower back, feet, hip, or shoulder, resulting from sitting for long. It’s equally essential to note that muscle, tennis elbow, knee pain, and other joint problems can impact both young and older adults.
If you would like to learn more about Light Therapy and its benefits, visit Energia Medical’s website and/or fill out the contact us form.
References:
- How Red Light Can Help Athlete Body Recover and Versatile Pain Relief. January 18, 2018.
- Hsin J and Western J, Treating Sport-Related Injury and Pain with Light Therapy. Pract Pain Manag. 2006;6(7)
https://www.practicalpainmanagement.com
- Mayo Clinic, Different Pain Treatment. 1998 – 2022
- Hopkins J, Knee Pain, and Problems.
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org
- Velger L, Benefits of having your therapy systems. 2021;2(25)
- Laser Ther. 2016 March 31;25(1): 35-42
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC48468
- Asthma C, Author manuscript; available in PMC 2020 July 13. Laser Light Therapy in Inflammatory, Musculoskeletal, and Autoimmune Diseases. 19(8): 37. doi:10.1007/s11882-019-0869-z
- Image Credit: <ahref=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/young-sportswoman-experiencing-pain-her-leg-while-having-sports-training-nature_25855574.htm#query=sprain&position=1&from_view=search&track=sph”>Image by Drazen Zigic</a> on Freepik
