How Effective Is Light Therapy for Pain?

Light therapy is a method that uses sunlight or artificial light (infrared, ultraviolet, visible light, laser) to prevent diseases and promote physical recovery. Heliotherapy has been included in the field of nursing. Phototherapy in physical therapy uses artificial light radiation.

Phototherapy

Light therapy is the use of sunlight or artificial light (

Infrared light can be divided into two segments: the wavelength range of 1.5 to 1000 microns is far infrared (long-wave infrared), and the wavelength range of 760 to 1.5 microns is near infrared (short-wave infrared). The method of using infrared to treat diseases is called infrared therapy.

The method of using ultraviolet rays to prevent and treat diseases is called ultraviolet therapy. Ultraviolet light is invisible and is named because it is located outside the purple light in the visible spectrum.

Biological characteristics of ultraviolet spectroscopy

The wavelength of ultraviolet rays is 400 to 180 nm. Its spectrum is divided into three bands. (1) Long-wave ultraviolet (UVA), with a wavelength range of 400-320nm; (2) Medium-wave ultraviolet (UVB), with a wavelength range of 320-280nm; (3) Short-wave ultraviolet (UVC), with a wavelength range of 280-180nm.

Various biological effects of ultraviolet have certain spectral characteristics, which can draw a certain curve, that is, the spectral curve of ultraviolet biological effects.

Bactericidal effect curve

Vitamin D formation effect curve

Skin erythema formation action curve ...... Pigment formation action curve

Ultraviolet germicidal action line: In the short-wave part, the strongest germicidal action is 250 260nm.

UV-D action curve in vitamin D: It also has the highest peak with a wavelength of 280nm.

III. The erythema formation curve of ultraviolet rays; there are two peaks, the first peak is at a wavelength of 297 nm. The second peak is at a wavelength of 250 to 260 nm. The dotted line is the curve of pigment formation, indicating that the strongest part is in the range of long-wave ultraviolet.

Biological effect

Ultraviolet rays penetrate into the human skin to a depth of no more than 0.01 to 1 mm, and most of them are absorbed in the stratum corneum of the skin, which stimulates the molecules of the cells to become excited, forming extremely active chemical properties.

Laser is the light generated by the amplification of stimulated radiation, also known as Laser. Laser therapy is a method of treating diseases by using the light emitted by the laser. To generate a laser, a laser must have three components. (1) Laser working materials, including solids, liquids, gases, and semiconductors, such as helium-neon, ruby, carbon dioxide, dyes, and gallium arsenide, can be counted after being excited. (2) Laser energy, energy that reverses the number of particles in the working substance; (3) Optical resonator, which can make the light oscillate repeatedly and be amplified multiple times, the laser is a laser in an optical resonance cavity The number of particles in the working substance is reversed by the excitation of external energy. When the particles are excitedly transitioned from a high energy level to a low energy level, they are amplified in the optical resonant cavity, turning out a strong directivity, high brightness, and monochrome. Light with good coherence.

Biological effects of phototherapy

1. After the light effect tissue absorbs the laser energy, it can produce photochemical reactions, optical effects, electronic transitions, secondary radiation, free radicals, etc., which can cause tissue decomposition and ionization, and ultimately affect the structure and function of the tissue when exposed, and even cause damage.

2. After the thermal effect laser irradiates the biological tissue, the light energy is converted into thermal energy and the temperature of the tissue is increased. The band that produces the thermal effect is mainly in the infrared band. When the power is large enough, the tissue temperature can be raised to 200 ~ 1,000 ° C within a few milliseconds, which can denature, solidify, and even carbonize and vaporize the protein. This is the basis of laser knife and cutting.

3 The energy density of pressure-effect lasers is extremely high, which can generate strong radiation pressure. In addition, the pressure effect of the secondary shock wave caused by the rapid thermal expansion of tissue caused by thermal effects can be combined to synthesize the total pressure, which can cause biological tissue destruction, protein decomposition and tissue separation.

4 Electromagnetic effect Laser is an electromagnetic wave, so a magnetic field is inevitably generated. The electromagnetic field effect of a laser of general intensity is not obvious. The electromagnetic field effect is obvious only when the laser intensity is extremely strong. The electromagnetic field effect can cause or change the quantized movement of molecules and atoms in biological tissues, generating high temperature and high pressure, causing tissues to ionize, cell nuclei to break down, and free radicals to be changed.

Phototherapy treatment effect

1. Biological Stimulation and Regulatory Effect He-Ne laser irradiation with low power has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, desensitization, antipruritic, astringent, and swelling, promotes granulation growth, and accelerates healing of wounds, ulcers and burns. Local irradiation of low-power He-Ne laser can improve the whole body condition and regulate the functions of some systems and organs. Using a low-power He-Ne laser to irradiate the pharyngeal canal mucosa and skin ulcers, ganglion sections, sympathetic ganglia, acupoints and other different parts, the local symptoms can be improved at the same time as the improvement of systemic symptoms, such as mental improvement, systemic fatigue, ESR returned to normal.

2. Laser Surgery Laser Surgery uses a thin and collimated high-energy laser beam. After focusing, it uses the high-energy, high-temperature, high-pressure electromagnetic field action and cauterization of the focus to cut, bond, and vaporize the diseased tissue. Commonly used are carbon dioxide lasers, neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet lasers and argon lasers. Laser surgery features: less bleeding, lighter infections, and slower wound healing.

3 Laser treatment of tumor laser is mainly based on its special role in biophysics, that is, the high heat effect of laser, which destroys tumor tissue; the strong light effect of laser, can make tumor surface tissue volatilize, and make tumor tissue swell, tear, and shrink. Can produce secondary pressure. Laser treatment of cancer may be related to its effect on immune function. The comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of tumors with laser and photosensitizing drugs is that photosensitizers (such as HpD) have a higher concentration in the tumor tissues and photosensitivity to destroy the tumor.

Light therapy indications

1. Low- or medium-power He-Ne laser irradiation is often used to treat tumor patients with radiotherapy or chemotherapy response, leukocytopenia; facial neuritis, trigeminal neuralgia, enuresis; chronic wounds, chronic ulcers, burn wounds, allergic rhinitis; shingles, Herpes simplex, eczema, oral ulcers; hip transfer.

2. Carbon dioxide laser indication (1) Defocused irradiation (output power 10-30W), commonly used for myofibritis, periarthritis, chronic diarrhea, chronic rheumatoid arthritis, neurodermatitis, appendicitis, etc. (2) Cauterization (output power 30 80W) is commonly used to treat swelling and pain, moles, warts, corns, and uterine erosion of the skin and mucous membranes. (3) After cutting (output power 100 300W), the light knife is used to perform operation.

1. Infrared therapy

The infrared spectrum used for medical treatment is divided into two parts, long-wave infrared and short-wave infrared, with wavelengths of 15 to 1.5 microns and 1.5 to 760 nm, respectively. The depth of infrared light penetrating into the body is 0.05 to 10 mm. The long wave part can only reach the surface layer of the skin, and the short wave part can reach the subcutaneous tissue. The main biological effect of infrared is heat.

The thermal effect of infrared light causes the blood vessels in the irradiated area to dilate and blood flow is accelerated. Local heat can be carried by the bloodstream to the whole body, causing the blood vessels in the body to dilate. Heat can also promote enhanced phagocytosis, strong local metabolism, accelerated cell oxidation, and decreased muscle tone.

Infrared radiation has the obvious effect of improving local blood circulation, promoting the absorption of local exudates and the subsidence of swelling. Can reduce muscle tone and relieve muscle spasms. Analgesic and anti-inflammatory can eliminate chronic inflammation of superficial tissues.

2. UV therapy

Ultraviolet rays are mainly obtained by artificial methods, and the penetration depth of ultraviolet rays into human skin does not exceed 0.01 to 1 mm. Most of it is absorbed in the stratum corneum and spinous cell layer of the skin, which stimulates the cell molecules to be excited and forms chemically active radicals, thus producing photochemical reactions such as photodecomposition, photochemical reactions, photopolymerization, and photosensitivity Therefore, it is called chemical radiation.

The therapeutic effects of ultraviolet light are: bactericidal effect, anti-inflammatory effect, analgesic effect, promote wound healing, desensitization effect, anti-rickets, osteomalacia. Long-wave UV combined with photosensitizer for psoriasis and vitiligo.

3 Laser therapy

Stimulated radiation is called laser, and the treatment of certain diseases with various forms of laser is called laser therapy.

The main features of lasers are high directivity, high brightness, good monochromaticity, and good coherence.

The biological effects of lasers include thermal effects, pressure effects, photochemical effects, and electromagnetic effects.

The therapeutic effect of lasers varies according to their energy levels. Low-energy lasers are mainly anti-inflammatory and promote epithelial growth. High-energy lasers can damage tissues and can be used to cut, burn or weld tissues.