Infrared therapy is a method that uses light to treat acute or chronic pain. It is a simple and painless therapy that is being studied for use in various fields of medicine.

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What is infrared therapy?

Infrared light is one of several innovative therapies that are being trialed for the management of patients with acute or chronic pain . The therapy uses certain wavelengths of light that are delivered to sites of the body that have injuries.

Unlike ultraviolet light - which has damaging effects upon the tissues and cells of the body - infrared light helps cells regenerate or repair themselves. Infrared light also improves the circulation of oxygen-rich blood in the body, promoting faster healing of deep tissues and relieving pain.

One of the characteristics of infrared light is its ability to penetrate below the skin layers, providing a much greater depth which is able to effectively provide pain relief. In fact, this invasive, natural, and painless method can provide a vast range of health benefits, without damaging the skin through UV radiation

Infrared light is the heat people feel when exposed to the sun. The skin naturally radiates infrared heat every day. Infrared light has shown immense health benefits, from pain relief to reducing inflammation.

How does infrared therapy work?

Infrared light penetrates to the inner layers of the skin at about 2 to 7 centimeters deep. Hence, it reaches the muscles, nerves and even the bones. Many studies have shown that a frequency of infrared light, with wavelengths from 700 to 1,000 nanometers, is best used for healing inflammatory conditions.

The use of electricity for healing purposes began in 2,750 BC when people used electric eels to give electric shocks. Electricity and magnetism were used in people with just little success. However, in 1975, transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS) was developed to treat chronic pain. It was not until recently that infrared therapy was developed to improve wound healing, reduce the pain caused by arthritis, boost endorphin levels, and bioactivate neuromodulators.

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