Is Red Light Therapy Effective for Arthritis Pain?

Red light therapy is sometimes referred to as low-level light therapy. It works through photobiomodulation, wherein it uses red and near-infrared irradiation to trigger biological reactions in cells and tissues. These beneficial changes may help with a variety of health concerns, such as pain and inflammation. The non-invasive nature and a good safety profile make red light therapy attractive.

Arthritis affects over 350 million people globally. The condition is prevalent in the U.S., Europe, India and China. Arthritis is a leading cause of disability, and the high healthcare costs lead to a significant economic impact. In this article, we will explore the utility of red light therapy for potential benefits in arthritis.

Understanding arthritis

Arthritis is a disease that affects joint function. It is characterized by pain, swelling, redness, and stiffness. It hinders joint mobility and, hence, the quality of life. While there are numerous types of arthritis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the most common ones. Osteoarthritis is the result of wear-and-tear of joints and is common among elderly patients. On the other hand, rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition wherein the immune system's attack on healthy tissue leads to persistent joint pain.

There is no cure available for arthritis, and existing therapies typically offer help with the symptoms. But they are often followed by side effects, highlighting the need for safer alternative therapies.

Is red light therapy for arthritis effective?

Red light therapy can penetrate through the skin to activate a cellular enzyme called cytochrome c oxidase within the mitochondria and increase the energy production in cells. These events are believed to promote cell growth, enhance protein production, and relieve oxidative stress. This way, red light exposure may facilitate healing and restore tissue health.

It is no surprise that the application of red light therapy is being explored for a wide range of ailments. However, the evidence is still insufficient, and further research is necessary. Efforts should be directed toward designing an effective therapy regimen to realize the benefit of red light therapy in the majority of disorders, including arthritis.

Benefits of red light therapy for arthritis

A substantial amount of research has been done to investigate the exact biochemical changes happening with red light therapy for arthritis. These mainly include the experiments done in animal models, who were induced to develop the disease.

Pain relief

As we discussed earlier, exposure to red light may increase energy generation and promote cell growth. This is thought to restore normal cell activity, which may help achieve joint pain relief.

Red light irradiation can help reduce pain by inhibiting prostaglandin E2, a pain and inflammation mediator. A type of enzyme, matrix metalloproteinase, which breaks down cartilage protein, is associated with the development of arthritis. Irradiation with therapeutic red light was observed to suppress this enzyme and, thereby, prevent cartilage damage. All these biological changes collectively work together toward relieving pain.

Reduce inflammation

Inflammation is a protective process facilitated by the immune system. A key aspect of this process is the production of various cytokines, which attract immune cells to the site of infection to eliminate the cause of damage, clear dead cells, and promote healing. However, in autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system mistakenly targets healthy tissues, leading to inflammation, pain, and tissue damage.

Research findings suggest that red light therapy down-regulates inflammatory cytokines like IL-6 and up-regulates anti-inflammatory factors, such as transforming growth factor-beta. Overall, red light therapy modulates the expression of different cytokines to restore the normal state. Arthritis is also characterized by the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which causes inflammation, tissue damage, and joint degeneration. Red light therapy modulates ROS production.

Promote tissue repair

Red light and near-infrared light increase the production of nitric oxide, which fosters the formation of blood vessels. This may help support the regeneration of cells, cartilage, and bone integrity. These can replace the damaged tissue in the joints.

This way, red light therapy may help alleviate the production of disease-causing molecules and initiate the regeneration processes promoting tissue repair.

Reduce joint stiffness

Bone erosion within the affected joint can cause nerve compression and pain, which impedes joint mobility. Red light therapy may slowly restore the key functional components of a joint — bone, cartilage, and blood circulation — potentially reducing joint stiffness.

Seemingly, red light therapy can help in many ways to restore joint function. However, the exact pathways are not yet fully known. It is also important to note that while some clinical trials have demonstrated the utility of red light therapy for arthritis, others did not confirm significant differences between the photobiomodulation and placebo results. To some extent, this can be attributed to the disparity in treatment parameters, such as wavelength, dose, power density, and irradiation regimen.

How to use red light therapy for arthritis

Red light therapy displays a bi-phasic dose-response phenomenon. It indicates that the optimum dose would attain stimulatory or beneficial effects, but the higher doses may display inhibitory or even detrimental effects. Therefore, identifying the right light parameters and irradiation duration-frequency is the key.

The clinical studies have largely administered longer wavelengths as a part of red light therapy for arthritis. They have tried out the wavelength range 785–905 nm more often for this purpose, which is regarded as the near-infrared range. It is believed that the wavelengths between 600–660 nm are suitable for superficial purposes. Longer wavelengths, which can penetrate deeper through the skin, are more effective for deep tissue healing.

It is very important to be consistent with the red light therapy sessions and have enough patience to stay at it long enough to see the benefits, if any.

To date, red light therapy doesn't have a stand-alone recommended therapy status. Therefore, official guidelines on the optimal duration, frequency, and light parameters are not available. It is likely that each red light therapy device will have different directions for use. Users should follow the indications given on the product page. It is essential to discuss the therapy plan with the healthcare provider.

Possible side effects

Red light therapy is typically considered safe and with minimal side effects that are typically mild and transient.

• Higher doses of red light therapy have been associated with blistering, skin redness, and darkening. Darker skin tones may be more sensitive and should be extra cautious.
• Red light therapy should be avoided by people who are photosensitive or those on certain medications that increase photosensitivity.
• It shouldn't be used for patients with epilepsy, as light exposure may act as a trigger.
• Red light therapy is not advisable for children and individuals who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

The list is not exhaustive. Please consult your healthcare provider before beginning the therapy and follow their guidance while designing the therapy plan.

How to choose an RLT device for arthritis

Arthritis can affect almost any joint in the body. Most commonly, it affects knees, hands, wrists, fingers, hips, shoulders, ankles, feet, and spine. Depending on the target joint, one can choose a red light therapy device from the available range. Various red light therapy devices are available on the market, including panels, hand-held devices, wrap-around belts, and similar.

Although there are numerous red light therapy devices that claim to improve joint function, most of them lack any approval from a regulatory body such as the FDA. There are no data available on the evaluation of their safety and efficacy. One should always choose a device that has FDA clearance.

Other treatments to manage arthritis pain

The short-term treatments are typically symptomatic, and they can only offer temporary relief. These include:

• Massaging
• Exercise and physical therapy
• Applying hot and cold packs
• Acupuncture
• Pain medications, such as acetaminophen
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen

Long-term treatments include several classes of medication, which work at the tissue level to ease the symptoms. They include:

• Corticosteroids are used to reduce inflammation and swelling.
• Hyaluronic acid injections can help relieve the symptoms.
• Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) like methotrexate can slow down the progression of the disease.

Most of these drugs may lead to adverse effects, such as an increased risk of infection. Joint replacement surgery is sometimes recommended, which demands a long recovery period.

In this scenario, incorporating red light therapy in addition to traditional treatments might be helpful. However, it is crucial to consult a medical professional to help determine if red light therapy works well with your current treatment plan.

Final thoughts

Red light therapy shows promising potential in controlling arthritis-associated symptoms such as pain, inflammation, joint stiffness, and swelling. However, the exact mechanism of action is not fully understood, and the clinical evidence is limited.

More research is necessary to identify the optimal frequency and duration of the treatment sessions, as well as light parameters that are beneficial for arthritis. Conventional arthritis medicines need to be taken for a long period, and they have serious side effects. Therefore, red light therapy, as a potential add-on treatment, may provide hope for arthritis patients. It is crucial to choose an FDA-cleared device from the broad choice of red light therapy devices available.

If you have ever used red light therapy for managing arthritis symptoms, please share your experiences. Also, do let us know if you have any questions in the comments.