Red Light Therapy for Long Covid

Red Light Therapy for Long Covid.

I regularly supplement my osteopathic treatments with the use of red/infrared light therapy, also known as photobiomodulation (PBM). I do this primarily to reduce inflammation and speed up the recovery in damaged tissues like muscles or joints. There’s a good understanding of how PBM works now, and it’s been shown to be clinically effective in a number of conditions, including osteoarthritis,  bone and wound healing and other conditions like thyroiditis, psoriasis and chronic pain. Anyone interested in understanding a bit more detail about how PBM works (mainly through the mitochondria in our cells) can check out an earlier blog on the subject here.

As PBM already has a track record of reducing inflammation in the body, scientists have been actively researching the use of PBM to treat the systemic inflammation caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Two recent studies, both from 2023,  have shown that PBM can reduce the inflammation caused by  SARS-CoV-2. As well as highlighting the potential usefulness of PBM, both studies showed that inflammation could be caused using SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins alone. This adds weight to the theory that the spike proteins are the main drivers of the pathology associated with SARS-CoV-2, something which I covered in a recent blog.

The first study was  laboratory-based and found that near-infrared (NIR) light could reduce the inflammation caused by SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins in human lung and immune system cells. It showed a dramatic reduction in pro-inflammatory molecules called cytokines in the cells after treatment. The second study looked at Zebrafish, and showed that PBM could reduce the inflammatory response (‘cytokine storm’) of the fish triggered after they had spike proteins introduced into their bodies. 

Another 2023 research paper discussed a different beneficial effect of PBM, namely its ability to combat low oxygen (hypoxia) in nervous tissues.  Researchers believe that the nervous system problems seen with COVID are caused by a combination of inflammation and nervous tissue being deprived of oxygen (hypoxia).  SARS-CoV-2 is known to interact with haemoglobin, including specialised haemoglobin in nervous tissues, contributing to hypoxia and disrupting oxygen homeostasis. The study referenced the ability of  PBM  to improve the  levels of oxygen in the nervous tissues of the rats, but the mechanism wasn’t clear.

Although this research wasn’t looking specifically at Long Covid, I believe it still has some relevance to the condition as it was looking at how PBM could ameliorate the inflammatory effects of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, which is thought  to be the main driver of  Long Covid. 

If I had Long Covid I would definitely consider experimenting with some red/infrared light therapy, as there is little downside to trying it.  PBM is thought to be very safe, with a 2023 study stating that there was no relevant clinical trial data linking it with any significant adverse event beyond temporary skin reddening. 

To maximise the safe use of PBM I would recommend the following;

1) Don’t overdo your exposure time. Short sessions are best. For instance, as per the manufacturers recommendations for my machine, I limit sessions to around 7 minutes with my patients. If you position yourself further away from the light, you can do longer sessions.

2) Don’t get too close to the red light machine. All electrical devices give off some electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs) , and red light machines are no different. Studies have shown that if you keep about 6 inches away from red light machines then the EMFs are zero or very minimal. For this reason, I am not a big fan of red light equipment that sits on or close to the skin. The manufacturer of the machine I use states that EMF levels are zero once you are 5 inches away from the machine. 

I have two red light machines that I regularly use and get good results from. One is a larger machine from a Canadian company called EMR-TEK, and the other is a smaller hand held light produced by MITO LIGHT in the Czech Republic.

If you are looking for an East Grinstead Osteopath please get in touch with:

Cliff Russell, Registered Osteopath

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