We Wanted to Find the Best Red Light Therapy Device to Help With Pain. Here’s Why We Can’t Recommend Any. (2024)

The evidence is mixed

Despite thousands of studies, research still lacks definitive answers on whether red light therapy alleviates pain. Some studies show a benefit; others do not.

To truly show that red light therapy works, we would need evidence from large clinical trials comparing the treatment with a placebo (a fake device, for example), said Dr. Praveen Arany, an associate professor of oral biology at the University of Buffalo School of Dental Medicine and former president of the World Association for Photobiomodulation Therapy (WALT), a nonprofit organization supporting research, education, and clinical applications for light therapy.

Unfortunately, Arany said, researchers haven’t yet found funding for those expensive large-scale studies.

One major problem with the research available, said Ibrahim, is that the study methods vary widely—for example, by the wavelength and intensity of the light, whether it’s pulsed or steady, and how long it’s applied. Another issue is that many studies use professional devices with laser lights rather than LEDs, which give off less focused light and are the mainstay of home products because they are safer and often cheaper than lasers.

Timothy Demchak, a professor in the department of applied medicine and rehabilitation at Indiana State University, is convinced that red light therapy is a safe, effective way to alleviate pain. He said that many of his physical therapy patients have benefited from treatment with the laser devices that he uses in his practice.

In a 2022 review of red light research published in the European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Demchak and colleagues reported evidence to suggest that therapy using LEDs or lasers helped against some types of muscle and joint pain, such as neck pain, osteoarthritis, and fibromyalgia.

But the group didn’t find strong evidence that red light therapy worked against some other common aches, such as lower back pain. The field desperately needs more rigorous research, Demchak said. Many of the existing studies are lower quality—they may involve too few patients, for example, or lack a comparison group that didn’t receive the red light treatment.

Nonetheless, under the right circumstances, he contends that red light therapy can be “very, very effective.” It comes down to figuring out the optimum treatment protocol for each type of pain, he said.

Those protocols don’t yet exist. WALT has developed guidelines for using red light to prevent oral mucositis (mouth ulcers that can be a side effect of cancer treatment). But the organization has had a harder time reaching a consensus for how to treat common afflictions such as back and neck pain, said Arany.

While different researchers may claim that specific devices and settings are effective, he said, as of yet they haven’t been able to provide a satisfying scientific explanation for how and why the device may work in those conditions. Without that information, he says, it’s hard to generalize results to all types of products and patients.

“There are so many devices,” said Arany. “People are just not agreeing on universal guidelines.”

The medical establishment is skeptical

Due to the lack of consistent evidence supporting red light therapy, as well as the tremendous variation in how it’s implemented, most health insurers don’t cover treatments performed in a doctor’s office. And major medical organizations haven’t issued guidelines for using red light therapy to treat pain.

Although some providers such as Demchak use red light therapy in their practices, the American Physical Therapy Association doesn’t recognize it as an effective form of therapy. And a spokesperson for the Arthritis Foundation told me that they “were unaware of any clinicians or researchers the Arthritis Foundation works with who give red light therapy much regard.”

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If you still want to try a red light therapy device

If you’re in pain, check with your doctor before trying to treat yourself at home. “Pain is a warning sign,” said pain expert Mohab Ibrahim. “There might be something benign or it might be something serious that needs to be addressed.”

Even if the source of your pain has been diagnosed, you should still check with your doctor before trying red light therapy. In particular, Ibrahim cautions against using red light on areas where there is a wound, rash, or other skin condition without first getting your doctor’s okay.

If, after all those caveats, you are still interested in trying out a red light device at home, the experts we consulted offered some general advice. We link to top-selling devices on Amazon as examples of the different styles and configurations we mention, but we have not tested any of these devices and are not recommending them.

What to look for

  • It’s tailored to the source of your pain. Red light therapy devices come in various configurations, including rectangular panels, wraps, wands, and gloves. The intensity of the light falls off rapidly the further away you are from the source. With that in mind, Praveen Arany, a light-therapy expert, recommends choosing a product that conforms to the aching body part so that the light is against your skin.

    Examples include knee-shaped wraps, belts for your back or shoulders, and gloves for your hands. If your body is larger or smaller than average, check the product’s measurements to make sure that it will fit you. Wands and panels allow you to direct the light exactly where it hurts, but keep in mind that you may have to prop the device up or hold it in place for several minutes if it doesn’t come with a base or stand.

  • It offers multiple wavelengths. What’s commonly referred to as “red light therapy” typically uses wavelengths from the red, near-infrared, and infrared part of the light spectrum, about 600 nanometers to 1,000 nanometers, with longer wavelengths penetrating more deeply. There are no widely accepted guidelines for what wavelength to use for specific types of pain, so figuring out which setting works best for you may take some trial and error.
  • It includes features for safety and convenience. While research suggests that red light therapy is safe, Arany is concerned that prolonged exposure could negate any benefits and possibly even damage tissues. A timer or auto-shutoff feature can ensure that you don’t exceed the manufacturer’s recommended treatment times. Other nice-to-have features include a remote control and the ability to operate from rechargeable batteries so that you are not tethered to a wall socket.
  • It isn’t too expensive. Researchers would need more clinical evidence to meaningfully link price to quality, Ibrahim said. Given that a $5,000 red-light device may not be more effective than a $100 model, he recommends that patients start with a less expensive product.

    You may be able to save by buying a device using pre-tax dollars from a health savings account or flexible spending account. Check your plan for details.

What to watch out for

  • It claims to be FDA-approved. Although you may run across the term “FDA-approved” in articles and ads, no red light devices are actually approved for treating pain, according to FDA spokesperson Carly Pflaum. Generally, the FDA regulates these devices as Class II medical devices, meaning that they don’t potentially pose a serious risk to consumers. Unlike Class III devices like pacemakers or breast implants, products in the Class II category typically aren’t required to go through the FDA’s rigorous approval process, which uses evidence from clinical studies to determine that the device works for the intended use and is safe.

    Red light therapy devices may be FDA-registered or FDA-listed, indicating that a company has notified the agency about a product and the manufacturing location, but it doesn’t mean that the FDA has actually evaluated the product. Companies may also go through the process for FDA clearance, meaning that the agency has reviewed information about the device and concluded that it’s substantially equivalent to others on the market.

    FDA clearance provides some reassurance about safety and effectiveness, since presumably equivalent products haven’t raised red flags. However, clearance doesn’t necessarily mean that treatment with the product has been proven to relieve pain. You can check whether a device is cleared in the FDA’s database.

  • It makes promises that are too good to be true. Red light therapy won’t cure arthritis or eliminate chronic pain. Even in studies that show it helps, the benefit is often modest.

How to use your device safely

With red light therapy, more isn’t better, so never exceed the manufacturer’s instructions for how long or how often to use the device, advises Arany. The treatment isn’t supposed to heat the tissues, so if the area you’re treating starts to feel warm, stop immediately, he said.

Many devices come with safety goggles or dark glasses. Although the intensity and wavelength of light used in home devices is likely not harmful to the eyes, Demchak advises using eye protection out of an abundance of caution, especially if you’re using the device near your eyes.

This article was edited by Claire Perlman and Kalee Thompson.

We Wanted to Find the Best Red Light Therapy Device to Help With Pain. Here’s Why We Can’t Recommend Any. (2024)
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