Inflammation is part of the body’s response to infection and tissue damage, and it is crucial to the healing process. It is also a protective reaction involving immune cells, blood vessels, and molecular mediators, intended to eliminate the initial cause of cell injury, clear out necrotic cells and tissues damaged from the original insult and the inflammatory process, and initiate tissue repair.
There are two classes of inflammation: acute or chronic. Acute inflammation is the ‘good’ inflammation that fends off foreign invaders and heals injuries. Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, is prolonged and can cause damage to the body.[1]
There is increasing evidence that the use of red and infrared light therapy is beneficial in reducing inflammation. This is documented in independent studies that include the following:
- Mechanisms and applications of the anti-inflammatory effects of photobiomodulation. It states: “However one of the most general benefits of PBM that has recently emerged, is its pronounced anti-inflammatory effects. While the exact cellular signaling pathways responsible for this anti-inflammatory action are not yet completely understood, it is becoming clear that both local and systemic mechanisms are operating.”[2]
- Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) on acute pain and inflammation in patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty-a randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Researchers said: “We conclude that PBMT is effective in decreasing pain intensity and post-surgery inflammation in patients receiving total hip arthroplasty.”[3]
[1] https://rmalab.com/good-vs-bad-inflammation/
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5523874/
[3] https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10103-018-2558-x
