Peripheral Neuropathy & Treatments. Common causes of Peripheral Neuropathy are: Diabetes, Poor metabolic Health, Autoimmune, chemo therapy, chemical exposure, medications, infections, nerve impingement, Kidney and Liver Disease.
Light therapy is approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for improving local circulation and relieving pain and inflammation. The Photobiomodulation therapy system provides gentle but powerful infrared and visible red LEDs, using a carefully-timed sequence of pulses to create an environment in which healing can occur more rapidly.
Benefits of Infrared Light Therapy
Here are just a few of the MANY benefits of using infrared light therapy:
Increases circulation. It accomplishes this by increasing the formation of new blood vessels. These new blood vessels (referred to as capillaries) speed up the healing process by carrying more oxygen and nutrients needed for healing. They can also carry more waste products away from the affected areas. Infrared therapy increases blood flow, in some cases up to 400%! The infrared light energy releases nitric oxide from hemoglobin and endothelial cells. Nitric oxide is a signaling molecule that relaxes smooth muscle cells found in the arteries, veins, and lymph vessels. When these muscles relax, the vessels dilate, thus allowing increased circulation. Visualize the difference in diameter between a straw and a hose.
Pain reduction. One of the effects of a lack of circulation is pain. Imagine wrapping a rubber band around your finger and leaving it on for a few minutes. Eventually, it will start to hurt, right? The reason it hurts is due to the lack of blood flow. Once blow flow is restored, you should start to feel less pain in your hands and feet.
Stimulates the production of collagen. Collagen is the most common protein found in the body. Collagen is the essential protein used to (1) repair damaged tissue and (2) replace old tissue. It is the “glue” that holds your cells together. By increasing collagen production, the cells in your body can heal more effectively and less scar tissue is formed.
Increases cell clean-up. Much like a vacuum, your body has a process of scavenging for, or cleaning up dead or damaged cells called phagocytosis. The destruction and cleanup of dead cells must occur before the healing process can take place. This is an important part of the infection fighting process.
Stimulate the release of adenosine triphosphate (ATP): ATP is the major carrier of energy to all cells. Increases in ATP allow cells to accept nutrients faster and get rid of waste products faster by increasing the energy level in the cell. All food turns into ATP before the cells utilize it. ATP provides the chemical energy that drives the chemical reaction of the cell.
Increase lymphatic system activity: “Edema,” which is the swelling or natural splinting process of the body, has two basic components.
1. The first is a liquid part, which can be evacuated by the blood system, and
2. The second is comprised of the proteins that have to be evacuated by the lymphatic system. Research has shown that the lymph vessel diameter and the flow of the lymph system can be doubled with the use of light therapy. The venous diameter and the arterial diameters can also be increased. This means that both parts of edema (liquid and protein) can be evacuated at a much faster rate to relieve swelling.
Reduce the excitability of nervous tissue: The photons of light energy enter the body as negative ions. This calls upon the body to send positive ions, like calcium among others, to go to the area being treated. These ions assist in firing the nerves, thereby relieving pain.
Stimulate fibroblastic activity that aids in the repair process: Fibroblasts are present in connective tissue and are capable of forming collagen fibers. Induce a thermal (heating) effect in the tissue: The light raises the temperature of the cells through a photochemical reaction.
Stimulate tissue-granulation and connective tissue projections: Part of the healing process of wounds, ulcers or inflamed tissues.
Stimulate acetylcholine release: Acetylcholine causes cardiac inhibition, vasodilation, gastrointestinal peristalsis and other parasympathetic effects. We realize not everyone will report the same level of improvement with light therapy. The reason is, there may be some underlying cause(s) of nerve pain and peripheral neuropathy that doesn’t respond as well to infrared therapy. What that means is that individual results can vary greatly.
