You have been diagnosed with Neuropathy officially now, what do you do? Do you take the neuropathy medications for the pain in your feet? How do you cope with the depression and anxiety that comes with the disease? How do you sleep when the pain and burning in the feet and hands gets worse and worse? What do you do? Are their natural treatment options for neuropathy? Are there medications that can actually reverse neuropathy? In the end all that you know is that if you do not get treatment for the neuropathy, it will get worse and eventually you could end up in a wheel chair. In today's blog I am going to be discussing infrared light therapy as an option.
What is infrared light therapy? Infrared is electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths longer than those of visible light. It is invisible to the human eye, Beams of light are measured in wavelengths. Each wavelength of light in relation to the body creates an effect on the body. In your body you have photo receptors. These photo receptors look for beams of light. For example when you walk out into the sun, the photo receptors in the skin detect the sunlight and now take that energy and make vitamin D. Infrared light therapy works the same way. The infrared light therapy at certain wave lengths and at certain powers causes vasodialation.
Light therapy using infrared LEDs has been effective as a general treatment across the spectrum of different types of Neuropathy and symptoms.
An LED light “pad” is used on the affected areas and stimulates the blood circulation. This releases nitric oxide which in turn aids in the healing of the nerves.
I have to warn you though, if you are thinking that infrared light therapy is the end all cure to your neuropathy that would be a huge mistake. It is not!! Infrared light therapy alone will not do anything for your neuropathy. I t might temporarily help, but it is short lived, Yes nerves need blood to heal, but they a lot of other things. Reversing neuropathy is a very complicated process and is why many places cannot achieve that. In the treatment of neuropathy complexity is your friend.
In conclusion, infrared therapy can help, but is more effective when used with treatments, If you have neuropathy keep positive and keep working to get better, Neuropathy treatments do exist. We do it every day in our offices.
God Bless
Dr. Thai