What Is Red Light Therapy and How Does It Work?

Lately there’s been talk about red light therapy, but what is it exactly? How does it work? What does it have to do with chiropractic care? Good questions all, and it seems that there is evidence to support the benefits of this treatment, should you choose to pursue it.

Red Light Therapy Is Exposure to Low Wavelength Red Light

Low wavelength red light treatments are applied through facial masks, pulse wands, and box lights. Patients are prescribed a certain number of treatments to start, with the specific application of red light. After those treatments are complete, your chiropractor will assess how well you are feeling and healing.

Red Light Kicks Up Circulation and New Cell Growth

If you are already seeing a chiropractor, then you know that creating new cells to repair and replace damaged cells is essential to healing. If you were in an accident, you might heal faster through red light therapy because blood flow is increased to the areas where the red light is focused. Increased circulation and increased cell production and cell growth ramps up your body’s ability to recover faster from injury and from pain.

There are also signs that red light therapy can decrease inflammation, a constant complaint from patients with body aches and pains. Not having to take quite as many pain medications and sit or lay down with red light focused on you seems ideal to some patients.

It Can’t Hurt to Try

While it is mostly still in the testing stage with doctors and care providers, the evidence that red light therapy works is very compelling. If you find a chiropractor that offers this kind of therapy, it certainly doesn’t hurt to try it. The red light doesn’t feel any different from any other kind of light. If it does work for you, then it’s a plus. If you are already trying other alternative forms of pain relief like acupuncture, massage therapy, and spinal decompression, adding red light therapy really isn’t that different.