Let there be light — for your pain, skin, and injuries, that is. The possibilities of red light to treat a variety of health and aesthetic concerns are just emerging thanks to interest from researchers, universities, and hospitals, as well as at-home devices that make it more accessible.

Red light therapy (RLT) is a type of photomedicine, which is “the use of light to treat skin and other health conditions,” says Jared Jagdeo, MD, the founding director of the Center for Photomedicine at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn, New York.

Here, learn about the history of the therapy, how it works, its potential benefits, what to expect from treatment, and more.

Find Out More at Everyday Health »

Until now, the medical prospects for persons suffering from long Covid have been very bleak. As recently as three weeks ago, BizNews republished an article by our partners at The Wall Street Journal covering long Covid. The central message and, essentially, advice to patients struggling with long Covid symptoms was to pace themselves. Neither heartening nor motivational advice for those who find themselves incapable of functioning as a consequence of debilitating fatigue and cognitive dysfunction.

However, there is hope. Dr Ashleigh Bhanjan, a Specialist Neurologist and Bioflex Laser Therapy Practitioner working at Life Entabeni Hospital,  Durban Neuro Laser Clinic, has been treating long Covid with photobiomodulation therapy, with highly encouraging results. BizNews spoke to Dr Bhanjan who provided great insight on long Covid, including those who are at risk, the correlation between persons with severe Covid-19 infections and those who are likely to develop long Covid (spoiler alert – no correlation) and photobiomodulation therapy. – Nadya Swart

Hope springs for long Covid patients – Neurologist Ashleigh Bhanjan explains new therapy.

Read more on the Durban Laserclinic website or download the pdf »

In an interview, Rico Petrini discusses his potential CTE and his positive experience as a participant in a photobiomodulation study conducted by The University of Utah TBI and Concussion Center, Department of Neurology School of Medicine. The study authors are finalizing the data for their study, Use of PBM to Improve Brain Health and Resiliency in Individuals with Repetitive Head Hits: A Pilot Study.

Rico spoke with Concussion Alliance Co-founders and Co-executive Directors Malayka Gormally and Conor Gormally on January 18th, 2022.

Read more and watch the interview on concussionalliance.org.

The opioid epidemic has led medical professionals and patients to explore alternatives to potentially addictive pharmaceuticals, such as light therapy.

Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy, a form of light therapy using red and near-infrared light to stimulate cell growth and reduce inflammation, is gradually gaining acceptance by the medical community. The noninvasive technology, discovered in 1967, is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to manage pain and treat a variety of medical conditions.

Read more from the Author Kevin Stone on Heartland Daily News.

Advances in photobiomodulation have propelled the use of therapeutic applications in a variety of medical specialties, according to Juanita J. Anders, PhD.

During the annual conference of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, Dr. Anders, professor of anatomy, physiology, and genetics at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Md., defined photobiomodulation (PBM) as the mechanism by which nonionizing optical radiation in the visible and near-infrared spectral range is absorbed by endogenous chromophores to elicit photophysical and photochemical events at various biological scales. Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) involves the use of light sources including lasers, LEDs, and broadband light, that emit visible and/or near-infrared light to cause physiological changes in cells and tissues and result in therapeutic benefits.

Read more on mdedge.com or download the PDF