Red Light Therapy for Arthritis

According to reports from the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 22.7 percent of adults (that’s 54.4 million people) have been diagnosed with arthritis.

Are you struggling with joint pain, inflammation, and other arthritis symptoms? Are you looking for a more natural approach to managing your condition?

If so, you may want to consider red light therapy for joints. Read on to learn more about this treatment and the benefits of red light therapy for arthritis.

What Is Red Light Therapy?

Red light therapy is a protocol that exposes the body to low wavelength red light. Red light is similar to infrared light, but it’s visible to the eye, whereas infrared light is not.

 

Red light therapy is also known as photobiomodulation, low-power laser therapy, or low-level laser therapy. Regardless of what it’s called, research shows that red light particles deeply penetrate the skin, which allows the cells to absorb and use it.

 

When the mitochondria of the cells absorb red light particles, the cells can produce higher levels of adenosine triphosphate (or ATP). ATP serves as an energy source for all of the cells of the body.

 

Those who study red light therapy have attributed its benefits to the fact that it supplies the body’s cells with additional energy. They believe that this extra energy, in turn, helps the cells to respond more efficiently and effectively to damage.

Is Red Light Therapy Good for Arthritis?

Red light therapy is used to manage symptoms associated with a variety of conditions, from hair loss to wrinkles and skin damage. Many people with arthritis also use red light therapy to help with their joint pain and inflammation.

 

The following are some specific benefits that those with arthritis report experiencing when they rely on red light therapy for joints:

Reduced Joint Pain and Inflammation

All types of arthritis, from osteoarthritis, which occurs when the cartilage that caps the bones wears away, to rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune condition, are characterized by chronic joint pain and inflammation.

 

Many arthritis patients find that when they expose their bodies to red light on a regular basis, inflammation decreases and so does their pain. This happens because the red light stimulates faster cell repair and allows for more efficient regeneration.

 

Some of the most noteworthy research regarding pain relief and red light therapy has to do with arthritis of the knees.

 

For example, this study showed that patients who received red light therapy on their knees experienced significant pain reduction after only 7 days. Another study showed that red light therapy was effective when it came to postponing knee replacement surgery, which is often recommended for people with severe knee arthritis symptoms.

Increased Collagen Production

In addition to reducing pain and inflammation, red light therapy can also help those with arthritis because it increases collagen production.

 

Collagen is a type of protein that accounts for roughly one-third of the body’s entire protein content. It’s a primary building block of various parts of the body, from the bones and skin to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. It’s also found in cartilage, which cushions the bones and protects the joints.

 

Research shows that red light exposure helps to stimulate collagen production and increases the thickness of cartilage. It also plays a role in regenerating cartilage that has started to wear away (which can exacerbate joint pain and other arthritis symptoms).

Faster Recovery

Red light therapy speeds up the recovery processes in the body by improving cellular repair and by increasing blood flow. It does this by stimulating capillary formation in the parts of the body that are targeted by red light.

 

When blood flow increases, more nutrients and oxygen get delivered to affected areas of the body. At the same time, it also allows waste products (which can make inflammation worse) to get carried away more efficiently.

Can You Use Red Light Therapy at Home?

Some people might be hesitant about using red light therapy because they don’t want to worry about the logistics of driving all the way to a clinic, sitting in front of a red light panel, and then driving back home.

 

The good news, though, is that you’re not limited to a clinical setting for your red light treatments. The best red light therapy devices can be used at home, too.

 

If you have an infrared sauna, you can install red light panels to experience the benefits of red light therapy. You can also buy individual panels to create your own red light setup if you prefer.

How to Use Red Light Therapy at Home

Once you’ve purchased your red light therapy products, you can start using them to manage your arthritis symptoms from the comfort of your home. All you have to do is set up your panels, turn them on, and position your body so that the area you want to treat is in front of them.

 

Remember, for red light therapy to be effective, the area of the body you want to treat needs to be fully exposed. It can’t be covered by clothing.

 

It’s recommended that you start with around 10 minutes of red light exposure with the treatment area about 6-12 inches away from the panel. Over time, you can work your way up to around 20 minutes of treatment per day.

 

You can use red light therapy daily without any side effects. If it’s too hard to commit to daily treatments, though, aim for at least 3-5 sessions per week.

Experience Red Light Therapy Benefits Today

As you can see, there are lots of benefits that come with using red light therapy for arthritis. To experience these benefits, though, you need to make sure you’re using the best red light therapy device.

 

At Sun Home Saunas, we’re happy to help you find the right tool for your needs so you can become a red light therapy “before and after” success story. Click here to check out our red light therapy products today.