PhotoBioModulation And Pain
PhotoBioModulation And Pain
PhotoBioModulation And Pain
Pain & Inflammation
PubMed | PMID: 32231809 PMCID: PMC7091526 DOI:
Photobiomodulation Therapy in the Treatment of Pain And Inflammation: A Literature Review
Photobiomodulation Therapy in the Treatment of Pain And Inflammation: A Literature Review
Photobiomodulation Therapy in the Treatment of Pain And Inflammation:
A Literature Review
★ Key Take-Aways
★ Key Take-Aways:
⮕ The studies confirm the positive effects that this therapy has on proinflammatory biomarkers
⮕ Quality of the studies collected on the application of PBM in the treatment of inflammation and chronic pain is generally high, so they have excellent quality in terms of methodology
⮕ The studies confirm the positive effects that this therapy has on proinflammatory biomarkers
⮕ Quality of the studies collected on the application of PBM in the treatment of inflammation and chronic pain is generally high, so they have excellent quality in terms of methodology
Authors
Ana González-Muñoz, María Cuevas-Cervera, José Javier Pérez-Montilla, Daniel Aguilar-Núñez, Dina Hamed-Hamed, María Aguilar-García, Leo Pruimboom, Santiago Navarro-Ledesma | Editor: George A Koumantakis
Abstract
Photobiomodulation therapy (PBM) commonly uses wavelengths of light with an energy density ranging from 1 to 150 J/cm2 and from 600 to 1070 nm. The effective tissue penetration is maximal in this range with hemoglobin and melanin, as the principal tissue chromophores, having high absorption bands at wavelengths shorter than 600 nm. The treatment of superficial tissue uses wavelengths in the range of 600 to 700 nm, while the treatment of deeper tissue uses wavelengths in the range of 780 to 950 nm [1,2].
Currently, whole-body PBM has shown a systemic response in addition to the local response, with improvements in quality of life, pain, sleep disorders, tiredness, muscle spasm, morning stiffness, psychological factors, elastic properties of tissue, circadian rhythms, tender points, and in fibromyalgia sufferers [3,4,5,6,7].
Furthermore, PBM therapy has also been shown to improve cerebral blood flow, neuronal bioenergetic functions, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, neural apoptosis, neurogenesis, and neurotrophic factors, and additionally has effects on intrinsic brain networks [1]. In addition, PBM is also thought to affect the secretion of certain hormones, such as serotonin and endorphins, leading to a reduction
in pain signaling [8].
Chronic pain is a problem that has a very notorious impact on society and people’s lives and is one of the most common health problems among older adults (>65 years). It is estimated that 13–50% of adults in the United Kingdom suffer from chronic pain although it is difficult to obtain accurate data since the estimates for
the prevalence in the population vary greatly by place, time, and
population. It has been estimated to be 8% per year in the UK.
On the other hand, the US sets its estimated costs attributable to chronic pain, including disability, loss of work, and treatments, at about USD 600 million annually, with an incidence of 28.4% in the adult population.
Treatment in these older adults is complex since it must have a multifactorial focus that includes pharmacological interventions, physical rehabilitation, and procedures to eradicate the cycle of pain [9,10,11,12]. By definition, chronic pain is pain
that persists for at least 3 months. It is a factor in premature death
and accelerated cognitive deterioration. In turn, this deterioration
and dementia make treatment decisions difficult since the patient’s
ability to perceive pain and report it is impaired [11].
PMC | PubMed Central | 2023 | PMCID: PMC10094541 | PMID: 37046865