At Carolinas Chiropractic and Spinal Rehab, we have one goal: To get you out of pain. We achieve this goal through personalized care, but for some patients, manual spinal adjustments are only one part of the solution. To provide overall wellness in addition to the pain relief that chiropractic care brings, we often recommend light therapy in the form of our class IV cold laser and Vitabed full-body light therapy.

What is Light Therapy?

Light therapy is a non-invasive treatment option for pain and natural healing, but not just any light will do. In order to harness the power of light to promote cellular rejuvenation, pain relief, and healing, specific wavelengths of light are required.

Our Vitabed Full-Body Light Therapy Bathes You in Healing Light

Our Vitabed Full-Body light therapy technology uses near-infrared (NIR) light that is scientifically tuned to penetrate layers of skin and promote healing at the cellular level. NIR is different than damaging ultraviolet (UV) light that comes from the sun. UV light has a certain wavelength, and NIR light has another. NIR does not cause sunburns or skin damage. Instead, it stimulates blood cells and tissues, boosting your natural processes and speeding along healing.

What Are the Benefits of Light Therapy?

When exposed to the right wavelengths, our cells receive power from light. Below are some of the wellness benefits that can come from light therapy:

• Light positively affects hormones and neurotransmitters
• Light balances our mood
• Light enhances physical performance
• Light hastens recovery from stress
• Light increases alertness and improves sleep
• Light positively affects the expression of genes

Why Do We Recommend Light Therapy?

Our ancestors didn’t need light therapy, so why do we? When you think about the modern American lifestyle, most people spend most of their day indoors. Our ancestors received plenty of light exposure (and exercise) because they were outdoors and active. While we embrace progress and recognize the value that offices and computer technology provide to society, we also recognize the modern lifestyle as a potential detriment to your health and wellness. We recommend light therapy as a way to promote natural processes that your body was designed to utilize for overall wellness.

What Does the Research Show?

Light therapy produces incredible results and the evidence is clear: Exposure to specific wavelengths of light supports natural processes in the body to promote healing and wellness. Below are some findings from light therapy research:

• In studies, muscle growth was twice as much in study participants who used NIR and exercise compared to participants who only used exercise.
• Red light/NIR improved blood flow to stubborn fat areas to mobilize fatty acids to be used in calorie-deficit situations resulting in weight loss and body shaping.
• Red light/NIR amplifies fat loss when used alongside a diet and exercise regimen. It’s believed that the body is more accepting of change due to light exposure.
• In a study of 400 collegiate sports injuries, some participants were exposed to red light therapy. The group exposed to light therapy averaged a return to the field in nine days. The group that did not receive light therapy averaged around 20 days to get back in action.
• In a study of light therapy’s effect on muscle growth, study participants had their quadriceps measured. After exposure to light therapy, the group that received exposure measured at 10% greater size compared to the group not exposed to light therapy.

Is Light Therapy the Same as Laser Therapy?

We also feel that it’s important to draw a distinction between cold laser therapy and light therapy. Both treatments use light to promote healing, but our class IV cold laser treatments deliver targeted relief to specific areas of the body. In contrast, our Vitabed full-body light therapy treatments bathe your entire body in soothing light. Vitabed full-body light therapy treatments cover a larger area of the body and are a complementary solution to restore balance across various systems.

When a patient comes into our office with a pain concern, we provide a personalized evaluation to develop a treatment plan based on each individual’s specific needs. For some patients, cold laser treatments in conjunction with spinal adjustments are the best course of action. For others, Vitabed full-body light therapy in addition to cold laser therapy may be recommended. Our individualized, patient-centric approach is one of the things that makes our practice different. Our chiropractic physicians take the time to learn about you and your goals in order to create treatment plans that meet your needs. You’re not just a number when you receive care at Carolinas Chiropractic – We get to know you by name!

Contact Carolinas Chiropractic to Experience the Healing Power of Light Therapy

Whether you need chiropractic care, cold laser therapy, Vitabed full-body light therapy, or a combination of treatments, our team can find solutions to get you out of pain and help your body heal naturally. Schedule your appointment today at our offices in Waxhaw and Pineville by calling (704) 243-1010, or schedule online right now.