Red Light Therapy: A Natural Remedy for Joint Pain and Inflammation
Red light therapy has long been our golden child for various skin concerns. Now, we’re singing its praises for another key issue: pain and inflammation.
That’s right: The LED light therapy you’ve come to love as part of your skincare routine can help you achieve lasting pain relief. In this article, we’ll give you the full run-down on how red light works for pain, inflammation, and mobility.
Red Light Therapy: An Anti-Inflammatory Marvel
Let’s go over the clinically proven, thoroughly documented anti-inflammatory benefits of red light therapy.
Increased Blood Flow
Red light therapy reduces inflammation by enhancing blood flow to the damaged tissue, ensuring that the affected cells receive oxygen and nutrients for tissue regeneration.
Protection Against Oxidative Stress
Red light is known to curb oxidative stress, the term used for an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants in the body. Left alone, oxidative stress can inflict cell and tissue damage while contributing to chronic inflammation. Red light bolsters your body’s antioxidant protection, helping to keep free radical levels low.
Stimulates Collagen Production
As if those benefits weren’t compelling enough, red light also boosts collagen production. Collagen encourages the development of cartilage, the connective tissue that absorbs impact and prevents friction in your body’s joints. Especially for individuals with chronic joint pain from arthritis, this benefit can prove invaluable for long-term pain management.
Ramps up ATP Production
For muscle pain, red light therapy provides yet another key perk: increased ATP production. ATP is a molecule that gives your cells energy, acting as the fuel they need to function properly. After red light therapy, ATP will rush to your body’s rescue, helping to heal soft tissue injuries and keep your cells working as usual.
LED Therapy for Pain and Inflammation: Clinical Results
At Omnilux, we’re all about the evidence, and when it comes to LED light therapy for chronic pain, there’s plenty of it! Here are just a few of the many clinical studies supporting LED light therapy for pain, inflammation, and injury recovery.
LED Therapy for Arthritis
Among 50 people with degenerative knee osteoarthritis, red and infrared light therapy reduced arthritis pain by more than 50%. With light therapy, people were also able to wait longer after their last treatment session before requiring further treatment.
LED Therapy for Chronic Back Pain
In one clinical study, individuals with chronic back pain underwent infrared light therapy. They were asked to assess their pain on a scale from 0 to 10, with 0 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain.
Before light therapy, the mean pain score was 6.9 out of 10. After light therapy, the mean pain score was just 3 out of 10!
LED Therapy for Acute Injuries
A 2018 clinical trial found that individuals with sprained ankles treated with LED therapy for 6 days showed statistically decreased pain, with a greater reduction in swelling than people not treated with LED therapy.
In another study, 78.5% of student-athletes with injuries (including sprains, strains, tendonitis, bruising, and ligament damage) reported being satisfied or very satisfied after two to six sessions of 830nm LED phototherapy.
At-Home LED Therapy for Chronic Hand Pain
Did you know that around half of all women and a quarter of all men will develop hand pain and stiffness from osteoarthritis by age 85? That statistic is striking, especially when you consider how much we use our hands for essential tasks throughout the day.
Enter the Contour Glove! This compact, easy-to-use red and near-infrared light therapy device is proven to ease inflammation and improve mobility in the hands, all from the comfort of home or as an extra benefit during your client's facial treatment.
With just three to five 10-minute sessions each week, the Contour Glove can help you overcome pain and stiffness while rejuvenating your hands’ appearance. Plus, it’s FDA-cleared, all-natural, and its technology is backed by over 40 clinical studies. Here’s just one testimonial from one of our loyal users:
"After a few times of using the Glove, I noticed that I was able to move my hands more freely. After experiencing the results that I've had, I am 100% an LED believer." – Leslie
Shop our transformative Contour Glove today.
