Red Light Therapy

We now offer red light therapy at Nova Rehabilitation Acupuncture Chiropractic at our Wheaton office! Red light therapy is an exciting new treatment modality which has benefits for musculoskeletal problems and also the skin.  It is a very handy therapy because it mimics red light spectrum that is naturally found in sunshine that our bodies crave, especially in the long midwestern gray skies of winter. Our mitochondria, which are the “powerhouses” of the cell, are photosensitive to light within the visible red spectrum. Red light causes the mitochondria to increase their ATP (the energy “currency” of the body)  production, causing numerous physiologic effects. Red light therapy, like many other treatment forms require multiple sessions to get the full benefit. Red light therapy does not contain UVa or UVb light and is therefore safe.  Here are some of the known benefits:

Improves skin health

The potential for using RLT as a way to rejuvenate the skin has led to a large number of studies. As the review in the journal Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery notes, RLT may help rejuvenate the skin because:
• increasing collagen production in the skin gives the skin its elasticity
• increasing fibroblast production helps produce collagen and other tissue fibers
• increasing circulation between blood and tissue cells
• protecting cells from damage
• increasing mRNA in the cells, which helps stimulate the cell
• improving facial texture
• reducing fine lines
• reducing wrinkle severity
A clinical trial in the journal Photomedicine and Laser Surgery explored light treatment for some basic skin issues in a small group of 136 people. The researchers found that these light therapies could:
• rejuvenate the skin
• improve the complexion
• improve the feeling of the skin

Wound healing

Red light may also be helpful in speeding up wound healing. Research in the journal Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia highlights the fact that light therapy may help wound healing in a few ways, such as by:
• reducing inflammation in the cells
• stimulating new blood vessels to form, which doctors call angiogenesis
• increasing helpful fibroblasts in the skin
• increasing collagen production in the skin

Hair growth

A study in the Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy explored the effect of low-level light on people with alopecia. The study revealed that people who received RLT had improved hair density, compared with those in a control group.

Reducing pain

Even more exciting, RLT may also be an effective treatment for pain in people with certain conditions. A review in the European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine compiled the results of many studies surrounding RLT and musculoskeletal disorders. The research indicated that RLT could effectively reduce pain in adults with different musculoskeletal disorders. The researchers note that practitioners who stick to the specific dosage recommendations seem to increase the effectiveness of the therapy.

Enhancing bone recovery

A review in the Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology examines the potential for RLT in treating facial bone defects. The researchers’ results indicate that RLT may help accelerate healing after treatment for facial bone defects. The review also notes that the therapy helped reduce inflammation and pain during the process.

Anti-inflammatory benefits

As research in the journal AIMS Biophysics notes, many of the conditions that RLT treats have their roots in inflammation. Although the exact reason is not yet clear, RLT has significant anti-inflammatory effects in the body. These effects are both local, where practitioners apply the light, and systemic, in other tissues and organs in the body. The researchers explain that the helpful anti-inflammatory effects of RLT, and the potential uses for this therapy, are abundant.

call (630) 588-9200 to schedule your red light therapy session

source:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325884#skin-health