Red Light Therapy for Pain

Red light therapy offers pain relief to a wide range of conditions including muscle injury, lower back pain, and osteoarthritis. It is also a lot easier to administer as the sessions are much shorter and red light is clinically proven to treat various types of pain. It is commonly used for the treatment of painful surface conditions like chronic skin disorders. It combines it effectiveness with near-infrared light to support natural healing through deep penetration into the joints and muscles. Red light does a remarkable job at addressing pain in different ways. It is not like green light which affects the sensory system. Instead, red light is absorbed by the skin for stimulating the mitochondria which are the energy batteries of the cells.

Increased Cellular Energy

One of the best things about red light therapy is that it helps increase cellular energy. Low cellular energy or mitochondrial dysfunction can cause painful conditions like muscle pain, fibromyalgia, and peripheral neuropathy. Since the mitochondria are the energy centers of the cells, it is important to boost their energy to ensure that they perform their best. Red light stimulates energy production through the production of ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate). As more energy is produced by the cells, they are able to perform much better. The benefits go beyond the performance of the cells and affect all the bodily systems as they are interrelated and interdependent. As every system performs better, it influences your entire body.

Reduced Inflammation

The truth is that chronic inflammation damages your body. When the cells are chronically inflamed, they are simply fighting for their survival and are unable to perform their job properly. Moreover, when an area gets inflamed, histamine and other chemicals are leaked into the tissues which over-stimulate the nerves. According to a study conducted in 2017, it was found that red light therapy helps reduce inflammation and promotes faster wound healing. It also reduces neuropathic pain, oxidative stress, and joint pain. Besides, red light has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. As inflammation is reduced, harmful chemicals are reduced which reduces pain.

Other Therapeutic Benefits of Red Light Therapy

In addition to the above, red light therapy offers plenty of other therapeutic benefits as mentioned below.

1. It supports liver regeneration which helps ensure that the body effectively gets rid of toxins and systemic inflammation.
2. It promotes nerve regeneration and reduces neuropathic pain.
3. It reduces oxidative stress which helps ease anxiety and depression.
4. It stimulates the healing of skin wounds by stimulating collagen synthesis, increasing blood flow, and reducing inflammation.
5. It stimulates the production of stem cells which help assist with healing.
6. It increases blood flow to the capillaries which allows for nutrients and oxygen to be easily transported to ensure healing.

Green Light Therapy for Pain

There are two mild pain-relieving effects of green light. It reduces sensitivity to the input from the nervous system and acts as a pain reliever. But, there is a need to study the effects of green light for providing pain relief. Here is how green light helps the body.

1. It resets the circadian rhythm. Melatonin production is altered as the photoreceptors in our eyes are sensitive to the type of light that they are exposed to. Green light increases the production of melatonin which increases alertness and energy.
2. It alters serotonin levels and improves the pain-relieving system of the body.
3. It increases the number of pain-relieving molecules.
4. It stimulates the cannabinoid and endogenous endorphin systems which results in natural painkillers being produced by the body to help reduce pain.

There has only been a single human study on light therapy to date. Only when the green light enters through the eyes is the light absorbed by the tissues. The effects of green light therapy had been conducted on pain in rats by researchers in the University of Arizona. It was found that green light helps reduce heightened sensitivity to pain and blocks pain.  In one of the experiments, rats were made to wear green plastic eye contacts which increased their exposure to the ambient room light. Within 3 to 4 days, they were able to develop thermal analgesia which is an inability to feel heat-related pain. Therefore, it is clear that green light can play a huge role in activating the pain relief system of the body. However, there is still a need for further research before any conclusions are reached.

Red Light Therapy Vs Green Light Therapy for Pain

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there are about 50 million adults in the United States that deal with chronic pain. According to the CDC, chronic pain is a type of pain that an individual experiences every day or on most days for over a period of 6 months. Close to 20 million of the pain sufferers experience high-impact chronic pain. It is a long-term pain that affects your ability to perform activities.

Billions of dollars are spent in the United States every year on pain management. Individuals that suffer from the condition know that there is more to their condition than just money. It adversely affects their quality of life and has a negative impact on their emotional wellbeing. If you or anyone you know suffers from chronic pain, chances are that you want to find a light at the end of the tunnel. This is where light therapy comes into place. There have been plenty of studies that reveal that red light and green light is beneficial for treating pain. This post compares the two to help you decide which light therapy to pursue.

Which Light Therapy Is Better?

Now that you know more about both light therapies, chances are that you are wondering which light therapy is better. Generally, red light therapy is the most effective in most conditions in comparison to green light therapy. The reason behind this is the fact that red light easily penetrates into the skin and boosts cellular energy. On the other hand, green light might be a better option for relieving migraines and conditions causes by the eyes. Make sure to use a red light therapy product from RedDot LED for outstanding results.