Light therapy is a safe and effective treatment which will increase the repair process for damaged tissue, reduce pain and/or restore normalcy to an otherwise impaired biological process.
The basic unit of light is the photon. Each photon carries a unique amount of energy depending on factors such as wavelength. When one applies light to biological tissue one is actually applying energy (photons) to the tissue. The literature indicates that this energy is absorbed by chromophores such as cytochromes, porphyrins, flavins and other light absorbing entities within the mitrochondria and cell membranes of cells. The absorbed energy is then stored as adenosine triphosphate (ATP). A small amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) - also known to be beneficial - is produced as a part of this process in which calcium ions and the enzymes of the respiratory chain play several important roles.
Like other sources of energy used by the cell, the absorbed energy may be used to power metabolic processes, synthesize DNA, RNA, proteins, enzymes and other biological materials needed to repair or regenerate cell and tissue components, to foster mitosis or cell proliferation, and/or restore homeostasis. The end result is that the absorbed energy is used to repair tissue, reduce pain and/or restore normalcy to an otherwise impaired biological process. In addition to the above mechanism, reports indicate that Light Therapy can reduce pain by modulating the level of prostoglandins and nitric oxide (NO) and through its direct effect on peripheral nerves is evidenced by measurements of nerve conductive velocity and somatosensory evoked potential.
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Dr. James M. Cox I."