Near-infrared light therapy, in the form of Pulsed Low Level Light therapy (LLLT), has been shown in over 50 years of independent research worldwide to deliver powerful therapeutic benefits to living tissues and organisms. LLLT is applied to the body using pads containing Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) which disperse light (red, blue or infrared) over a wide surface area, minimizing session times. Pulsed Light is the most profound, safe, non-invasive way to stimulate the innate capacity to heal from within every cell of the body.
The use of near-infrared light therapy with infrared diodes can help promote the healing process in the body. At the basic level all cells in the body have a miniature power plant within, called the mitochondria. This is where our cells’ energy is produced. The technical term for this energy is Adenosine Tri-Phosphate or ATP for short. ATP is formed from oxygen and glucose, both of which are carried to cells by blood flow.
Many adverse physical symptoms are the result of decreased blood flow which means that all cells, including nerves, are not receiving adequate amounts of oxygen and glucose. Therefore the mitochondria cannot manufacture normal amounts of ATP. Nerves, most commonly in the extremities, sense this lack of ATP production by sending pain signals to the brain. In some cases a lack of sensation rather than pain is the chief symptom. Because the mitochondria are very sensitive to light, infrared light therapy can stimulate ATP production in the mitochondria. That is, the nerves receive glucose and oxygen through increased blood flow to the nerves.
Light energy stimulates the release of nitric oxide from hemoglobin into the bloodstream. When nitric oxide is released from hemoglobin, it enters the muscle cells in the walls of the blood vessels. The muscle cells relax as the blood vessel diameter enlarges, allowing more blood to flow through the vessels, delivering the oxygen, glucose and ATP (among others) necessary for regeneration. Learn more about Nitric Oxide, with Dr. Thomas Burke.
Light is composed of photons. Photons are quantum units of energy. A photo emitted at a specific wavelength or color contains the same irrespective of the source. Light near the Blue end of the spectrum penetrates about 2 to 3 millimeters. Light at the Red end of the spectrum penetrates about 8 to 10 millimeters. And, Near Infrared Red light penetrates about 20 to 100 millimeters. Near Infrared light is more energetic than visible light, less resistant to reflection and absorption, and therefore penetrates soft tissue to a deeper level. These are generalizations because the more red cells with hemoglobin in the path of the photons, the shallower the depth of the penetration. Remember, hemoglobin absorbs the near-infrared light energy, thereby releasing nitric oxide.
The net result of near-infrared light therapy is a cascade of beneficial chemical reactions throughout damaged nerve cells that stimulate healing. This response can be directly attributed to increased blood flow.