Photobiomodulation (PBM) Light Therapy for PAIN

Pain conditions, especially chronic pain, affect millions of Canadians (1 in 5) and pose significant challenges for individuals, the healthcare system and society.

Pain can affect one’s physical functioning, mental health and overall quality of life. Addressing chronic pain requires a multifaceted approach, including improving access to pain management services, enhancing mental health support, and developing alternative pain treatments to reduce reliance on opioids.

There are several types of pain. Some types of pain result from a disease or accident. Other pain may linger or come back after treatment. Sometimes, pain results from treatments (after surgery or cancer treatments for example). Some pain has no known cause.

The types of pain are often described as:

Acute: This type of pain is sharp and often results from an injury. Acute pain gets better when providers treat the injury or disease that’s causing the pain. This type of pain can result from a bone fracture, burn, muscle spasm, or another kind of accident. Some illnesses and disorders, such appendicitis or shingles will cause acute pain.

Chronic: Providers call pain that lasts more than six months chronic pain. This type of pain can result from an untreated injury or disease. It can also result from conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia or nerve damage (neuropathy).Low back pain is another type of chronic pain.

Nociceptive: Nerve cell endings (nociceptors) send pain signals to your brain when you have an injury. Nociceptive pain happens when you break a bone, bump your head or pull a muscle.

Neuropathic: Problems with the nervous system cause neuropathic pain (nerve pain). It happens when nerves fire pain signals to the brain.

Generally, people experience pain as:

• Aching, dull or nagging,
• Burning, stinging or pulsing (like electric shocks),
• Sharp or shooting,
• Throbbing or pounding.

The first step in managing pain is finding out what’s causing it. Your practitioner will ask you when and where you feel pain and if it gets better (or worse) with certain activities. They will also ask how the pain feels and ask you to rate your pain on a scale from 0 to 10 (pain scale).

Photobiomodulation (PBM), also known as Red Light Therapy is a non-invasive and natural way to help alleviate pain and promote tissue repair using low level lasers or light-emitting diodes (LEDs) at specific frequencies and doses.

At Luminous, we treat all forms of pain by applying PBM light to the pain points, the spine, the brain and a combination of these, depending on the type and source of pain.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

The mechanisms by which PBM reduces pain are multifaceted and involve several biological processes.

Anti-inflammatory Effects:

PBM reduces the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and increases anti-inflammatory cytokines. This helps to reduce inflammation, which is often a major source of pain.

It also decreases the infiltration of inflammatory cells into damaged tissues.

Modulation of Pain Pathways:

PBM can affect peripheral nerves by altering the release of neurotransmitters involved in pain signaling, such as substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP).

It increases the release of endogenous opioids (e.g., endorphins), which can naturally reduce pain perception.

PBM influences ion channels and receptors in nerves, leading to a reduction in nerve excitability and transmission of pain signals.

Enhanced Cellular Repair and Regeneration:

PBM stimulates mitochondrial activity, leading to increased production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Higher ATP levels enhance cellular repair and regeneration, accelerating the healing of damaged tissues.

It promotes the proliferation and migration of fibroblasts and keratinocytes, which are essential for tissue repair.

Improved Blood Flow and Tissue Oxygenation:

PBM causes vasodilation and improved microcirculation, increasing blood flow to the affected area. This helps to supply oxygen and nutrients necessary for healing and removing metabolic waste products that can contribute to pain.

Reduction of Oxidative Stress:

PBM reduces oxidative stress by increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes (e.g., superoxide dismutase, catalase) and decreasing the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Lower oxidative stress can help reduce tissue damage and pain.

Immune System Modulation:

PBM can modulate the immune response, promoting a more balanced and less aggressive inflammatory response, thus reducing pain associated with excessive immune activity.

Conclusion

Through these combined effects, Photobiomodulation (Red Light Therapy) provides a non-invasive, effective means of pain relief by addressing both the symptoms and underlying causes of pain, promoting faster healing and recovery. This treatment can greatly reduce the suffering of people with chronic pain conditions and greatly alleviate the reliance on medications such as addictive opioids.

See interview with James Carroll, CEO of THOR Laser speaking at the World Health Organization.