Light Therapy: What is it?
A bright solution for improving health
In recent years, a technique called light therapy has been gaining attention with studies reporting demonstrable benefits of this technique. As the name suggests, in light therapy (also referred to as phototherapy), a light source is used to improve a patient’s health, spanning from mental health to physical pain. Here we will focus on two areas where light therapy has been shown to be effective.
Seasonal affective disorder
A type of depression, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a mood disorder that occurs at the same time every year. In most cases, SAD symptoms start appearing in the fall, continue during the winter months, and resolve during the spring months. The disorder reduces a person’s energy, making them feel moody and leading to social withdrawal in many cases.
SAD is one of the main conditions for which light therapy has been shown to be useful. The technique is thought to affect brain chemicals linked to sleep and mood, hence easing SAD symptoms.
During light therapy, the patient sits or works near a device called a light therapy box (shown below). The box gives off bright light that mimics natural outdoor light, thus mitigating the effect of changing seasons.
Foot pain
One of the newest proposed applications of light therapy is to treat foot pain. Recently, an Ohio-based company called Bright Health Therapy has introduced a Red Light Therapy Foot Pain Relief Device as a pain relief solution. The product, which is an over-the-counter Class II Medical Device with FDA clearance, is designed primary to help people suffering from foot and heel pain using infrared and red light LEDs.
The device, pictured below, resembles a body weight scale. It contains 124 medical-grade 880nm invisible infrared and 660nm visible Red Light LEDs. Typical recommended light therapy exposures are 20 to 30 minutes, and at most 3 times a day.
According to Bright Health, the device can help relieve pain associated with an array of conditions, including arthritis, neuropathy, tendonitis, and plantar fasciitis. The company also asserts that the device can help repair tissue and relax muscles.
To back its claims, Bright Health states that red light therapy increases adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production in the body cells, thus boosting the patient’s energy. ATP is the molecule that provides energy to drive many processes in living cells.
The company also claims that the device results in faster cell regeneration and repair, increased nitric oxide release, and collagen production. To support its claims, Bright Health cites studies that support the benefits of red light therapy, including healing and tissue repair, improved blood flow, improved joint health, relief from pain and inflammation, exercise and injury recovery, and improved bone repair.
Light therapy is still a new field and under development. But, if further studies continue supporting the potential of the technique, light therapy may soon become an easy, affordable tool in health care.
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