A growing list of scientific studies are concluding that low-level light or LED therapy shows great promise in the treatment of an expanding list of health issues; from pain relief and pain management to tissue and nerve regeneration to cosmetic solutions that don't require surgery to achieve results. And more and more acupuncturists and Chinese medicine practitioners are understanding the benefits of adding LED therapy to their growing list of treatment options.
Patient & Practice Benefits
Also known as photobiomodulation, low-level light therapy (LLLT) uses the distribution of light to accelerate therapeutic chemical processes in the cells of the human body that support the body's own innate healing and pain relief processes. Unlike the highly focused beam of coherent light emitting from a laser, LLLT uses LED diodes with the most commonly used wavelengths of red, blue, or near infra-red light to deliver diffused light that spreads out over a larger area. As this diffused light is spreading out over the affected area, circulation is increased which allows for greater nutrient-rich blood to flow to nerves, muscles, joints and other tissues. The result is a reduction in pain and inflammation which allows the body's natural healing process to run its course much more quickly.1
Recent research indicates LED therapy can benefit the physical body as well as many internal organs and can even uplift emotions and enhance cognitive brain function. Research by Harvard Medical School Associate Professor Dr. Michael Hamblin and Boston University's Margaret A. Naser, PhD, indicates a positive impact on the brain in relation to both trauma (PTSD, TBIs, stroke, concussion) and degenerative diseases (dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's). Hamblin and Naser also suggested, "the high benefit: risk ratio of LLLT should be better appreciated by medical professionals in the rehabilitation and physical medicine specialties."2
The use of LLLT is extremely safe and there is no recovery time after initial treatment. Patients can have treatment on large areas or two or more areas of the body simultaneously. Patients can also be taught to use LLLT at home for long-term pain management for chronic issues like peripheral neuropathy, low back pain or cervical pain. An advantage for the practitioner is that LLLT is an unattended therapy once the LED pads are put in place and the controller is switched on.
Treatment Options & Research
And the research continues to pile up highlighting the effectiveness of LLLT. A 2014 study examined the efficacy of LLLT applied at acupuncture points in knee osteoarthritis. Researchers concluded that the "application of LLLT to specific acupuncture points in association with exercise and advice is effective in reducing pain and improving the quality of life in patients with knee osteoarthritis."3
More recent studies are finding that the combination of Chinese medicine and LLLT can improve male and female infertility issues. Studies have found that the combination of these therapies increases the blood flow to the reproductive system, regulates hormones, reduces the negative side effects of stress and stress-related hormones, regulates inflammation and blood sugars, normalizes and softens scar tissue and improves and regulates cellular metabolism, thus rejuvenating cells.4
Practitioners are also finding that facial acupuncture treatment results can be improved with adding LED therapy. In combination with traditional facial acupuncture, LLLT is a safe, non-invasive and chemical free addition to the treatment that promote cellular proliferation, collagen synthesis and a reduction in inflammation. Patients are finding great results in fighting acne, evening out skin tones, reducing redness and inflammation and generally seeing more youthful looking skin post-treatment.
A 2014 study reinforces these results finding "LLLT appears to have a wide range of applications of use in dermatology, especially in indications where stimulation of healing, reduction of inflammation, reduction of cell death and skin rejuvenation are required. The application of LLLT to disorders of pigmentation may work both ways by producing both repigmentation of vitiligo, and depigmentation of hyperpigmented lesions depending on the dosimetric parameters. The introduction of LED array-based devices has simplified the application to large areas of the skin." This study examined the use of LLLT in treating skin rejuvenation, acne, photoprotection, herpes virus lesions, vitiligo, depigmentation, scars, burns and psoriasis.5
For older patients or those dealing with chronic pain that makes other treatments difficult, LLLT is regarded as safe, painless, non-invasive and has no known negative side effects. There is also no down time needed after a treatment session. A typical session can last about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the severity of the condition and the treatment plan developed by the practitioner. And for those suffering from concussions or in the case of patients with an unusually high sensitivity, a session as short as five minutes has proven effective.
More and more studies are being done to take a deeper dive into the effectiveness of LLLT and its impact on traumatic brain injuries, autoimmune conditions, metabolic syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorders and other brain diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.6
Accelerating the body's own innate healing ability is the best way to achieve and maintain health and hopefully avoid drugs and surgery. As LED light therapy strengthens the immune system, treatments can also be preventative. LED light therapy is a very practical addition to any acupuncture practice and any family's medicine cabinet.
References
Chronic pain afflicts over 20% of the adult population. Sadly, most MDs have essentially no education in treating pain, beyond offering a few toxic medications. Then they tend to steer people with pain away from those health practitioners who are trained. This puts the acupuncture community on the front lines for addressing this epidemic.
When the body is going through a stressful event, the sympathetic system is activated. This activation will help the body with a life-threatening situation. If this state is activated for prolonged periods of time, it starts to consume energy. These traumatic events that generate stressors in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) will eventually become internalized.
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One of the things that makes acupuncture so difficult to measure is that the medicine actually does contain some esoteric aspects. There have been numerous studies that demonstrate the neurochemical reasoning behind why acupuncture points stimulate the autonomic nervous system to enact change However, not all the benefits of TCM can easily be measured by randomized, controlled trials. But does that make them fundamentally and definitively untrue?
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