What is light therapy?
The term “light therapy” describes using therapeutic doses of light, delivered in such a way and in such a strength that circulation increases in the area under the lights. Pain associated with reduced circulation is relieved when circulation improves. Light therapy has shown to greatly benefit patients with symptoms of peripheral neuropathy, especially peripheral neuropathy caused by diabetes mellitus, chemotherapy or radiation. But can light therapy prevent microvascular disease?
What is microvascular disease?
Microvascular disease damages the body’s smallest arteries, veins and capilaries. Microvascular disease is a common result of diabetes mellitus, autoimmune diseases and has been suggested as a precursor to coronary artery disease.
If the blood vessels that supply blood and nutrition to cells are damaged, what happens to the organs that they supply? The organs nourished by the diseased blood vessels are at risk of damage themselves.
What would happen if you couldn’t receive food, water or medications? You would die. That’s what happens when the microvascular system becomes diseased – blood, nutrients and medications are delivered inefficiently, if at all and the organs are damaged. If the circulation cannot be restored, the organs eventually become diseased and fail or die.
Which organs are at greatest risk?
Some of the organs at greatest risk from microvascular disease are the eyes, kidneys, the covering over the nerves (nerve sheath) and the heart. In addition, peripheral limbs are at risk:
- Toes
- Feet
- Lower legs
- Fingers
- Hands
Can light therapy prevent microvascular disease?
The short answer is “NO” but it might be possible to prevent microvascular disease from becoming severe enough to cause problems if a person:
- Knew that a body part was at risk of microvascular disease and
- Faithfully treated the area for approximately 30 minutes several times a week
The increased circulation from the light therapy should allow the body to address any complications and reverse any potential damage before it becomes microvascular disease. However, no one knows or can predict that a particular organ or body part is, OR WILL BE, at risk for microvascular disease. For those people, once a problem has been identified, light therapy can:
- Help increase circulation to the diseased area and can reduce the symptoms from microvascular disease
- Slow progression of problems related to the microvascuslar disease or
- Possibly heal the microvascular disease
To find out more about using light therapy to prevent microvascular disease, click here to locate a clinic or practitioner near you that uses light therapy in their practice. Or call Bioremedi Therapeutic Systems, manufacturer of the HealthLight Therapy System, at 888-395-3040 for more information.