SoothIR Benefits Series: Pain Relief
In the last 40 years of Low Level Light Therapy (LLLT), the most widely used application is in pain relief. Many studies with both lasers and LEDs have observed a reduction in pain both during and after the application of the LED light. (1,2,3,4)
There appears to be 3 Primary Mechanisms That Reduce Pain both during/after the application of the appropriate color & a dose of LLLT light, as delivered by the soothIR™:
1st: After being exposed to LED light, the body produces it’s own pain endorphins, serotonin, enkephalin, and dynorphin, because the cell membranes have been affected by this light. This absorption changes the permeability of the cell and mitochondria membranes, which in turn causes these powerful pain-related peptides that block sensory receptors to block the pain.
2nd: During this process, bradykinin is decreased, leading to pain attenuation. Bradykinin plays a role in the sensitization of nerve endings which causes pain.
3rd: Touch and warmth can also compete with pain signals, which make the pain signals less obvious. This is why everyone instinctively rubs their head after hitting it because the touch competes with the pain. Similarly, the warmth of the soothIR™ light competes with the pain signal, in essence, “soothing” it.
This above described pain relief is accomplished without taking any NSAID, opioid, or acupuncture needle. Experience this pain relief with a comfortable, easy to use, wearable warmth applicator like the soothIR™ by simply plugging it into any USB port!
Talk soon,
-Ed
1) Is Light Emitting Diode Phototherapy really effective? Won-Serk Kim and R Glen Calderhead. Laser Therapy 20.3 205-215 August 2011
2) A near infrared LED based rehabilitation system: initial clinical experience G. David Baxter, Chris Bleakley, Phil Glasgow, R Glen Calderhead. Laser Therapy 14.1 29-36 March 2005
3) 830 nm LED phototherapy significantly reduced return to play in injured university athletes: a pilot study. J. Foley, D Vasily, J Bradle, C Rudio, R Glen Calderhead. Laser therapy 25.1 35-42 January 2016
4) 830 n LED low level light therapy (LED-LLLT) enhances wound healing a preliminary study. P.K. Min B.L. Goo. Laser therapy 22.1 43-49 March 2013