Red light therapy is an effective holistic treatment for healing. But can it also help treat PTSD? In the following sections, we discuss how red light therapy may be able to help treat PTSD, in part, just by providing for a healthier existence. Read on for more information! What Is PTSD? Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a debilitating condition that arises in response to a traumatic event. It is characterized by ongoing physical and mental symptoms that, untreated, can last a lifetime. PTSD has primarily been diagnosed in veterans with experience in particularly stressful circumstances. Unfortunately, throughout much of American history and to some extent even to this day, PTSD has gone undertreated. In the WWII era, PTSD was often misunderstood as a sign of personal weakness. PTSD is also a factor in the civilian population, where, in some cases, individuals may have been exposed to particularly traumatic personal situations. Despite the past stigmas that may have been applied to individuals with PTSD, the medical community today almost universally understands that PTSD is a serious medical condition that can be debilitating and requires serious treatment. After briefly exploring some of the symptoms of PTSD, we’ll look into how RLT and other treatments could be worth a try. PTSD Symptoms Individuals with PTSD may experience a number of physical symptoms. These may include a strong stress response, sweaty palms, a racing heart, rapid breathing, or an intense ‘fight or flight’ responses. It is also common for PTSD patients to have heightened senses, an overexaggerated startle response, and hypersensitivity to certain sounds. Psychological symptoms may include persistent negative thoughts and emotions, anxiety, insomnia, inability to concentrate, distressing flashbacks, irritability, emotional outbursts, avoidant behavior, and feelings of emotional numbness or detachment. Common Treatments for PTSD Managing PTSD has traditionally utilized stress-reducing practices like meditation and mindfulness; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT); Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Psychiatrists will also often prescribe selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), antidepressants, and even psychedelic drugs. However, these can have limited effectiveness and may have serious side effects. Another challenge is that not everyone will respond the same way to a treatment. It can take time and trial-and-error to hone in on an effective method. Whatever the treatment, early intervention is often most effective. How Red Light Therapy Can Treat PTSD Red light therapy is emerging as a potential treatment for PTSD despite the lack of PTSD-specific human trials. However, red light therapy has shown promise in treating traumatic brain injury (TBI). Current Research A fascinating 2021 animal study revealed that red light therapy can help reverse contextual amnesia associated with PTSD. Contextual fear memory is a memory of a specific event and it is related only to that event. A fear memory helps the individual remember and interpret the event, and anticipate the future to avoid repeating the experience. In this study, a single dose of transcranial red light therapy (through the skull) to the hippocampus applied immediately after a fearful stimulus reversed contextual amnesia in rats and preserved the contextual fear memory. The rats given the treatment did not develop PTSD; they simply learned to avoid the stimulus. Why is this important? In the event of severe psychological stress, some individuals develop contextual amnesia, or inability to associate a specific event with the fear. A stress response can occur even in seemingly unrelated contexts. A famous example is when veterans react excessively to whistling or fireworks. They are nowhere near a warzone where the contextual memory of the sounds of falling bombs can save lives, but they may nonetheless experience a severe stress response even in a non-threatening context. This study showed that red light therapy given immediately after a traumatic event can preserve contextual fear memory while preventing the development of PTSD. A similar study showed that red light therapy may prevent maladaptive fear memory processing which contributes to the development of PTSD. Red light therapy could help trauma survivors experience a healthier stress response to traumatic memories. The treatment also altered gene expression in the hippocampus and the amygdala, which helped prevent PTSD from developing. In 2023, researchers observed the effect of 810nm NIR light as an early intervention method. This animal study showed that the light treatment prevented anxiety and “freezing” behavior in stressed rats. Types of PTSD Treated by Red Light Therapy PTSD is a complex disorder because there are several different types of PTSD. This section will discuss those types and how RLT can help. Uncomplicated PTSD results from a single major traumatic event such as losing everything in a hurricane. It is characterized by flashbacks, irritability, avoidance, depression, and anxiety. Complex PTSD results from chronic traumas including abuse and war. In addition to the above symptoms, people with complex PTSD may develop relationship problems and emotional self-regulation. Individuals who experienced a traumatic birth may develop Birth Trauma PTSD. People who are close to and support someone who went through trauma may develop Secondary PTSD. Dissociative PTSD can result from early childhood trauma and are characterized by feelings of detachment and dissociation (a disconnect from thoughts, feelings, memories, and behaviors). Here’s how RLT can help: Light therapy may not be the first thing on the list after a stressful event but restoring mental health is important. RLT may be most effective when used immediately after the trauma. Delayed-onset PTSD may emerge more than six months after the trauma. Immediate treatment can help prevent maladaptive fear memory processing and thus prevent PTSD from developing if treatment occurs during the critical window of time where the event is interpreted and memories are formed. Red Light Therapy for PTSD NIR wavelengths can be absorbed through the skull into the cerebral cortex where they stimulate mitochondrial activity and increase cerebral blood flow. The cerebral cortex is responsible for higher brain functions including memory, emotions, and reasoning. Improving mitochondrial activity is one of the key elements of red light therapy. The mitochondria are the cells’ “energy centers” and many diseases are directly linked to mitochondrial dysfunction. Boosting mitochondrial performance using red light therapy is a non-invasive, side-effect-free and painless way to help any area of the body function better. Red light therapy has been used to heal, regenerate, and protect brain tissue. Treating a psychological injury with light may be as effective as treating physical brain injury or degenerative diseases. Red light therapy improves the physical functions of the brain, specifically mitochondrial function. This can have a positive ripple effect on psychological processing of trauma. How to Use Red Light Therapy for PTSD Treatment Patients get the best results from red light therapy when using it as a complementary therapy to doctor-prescribed PTSD treatments. Use NIR Wavelengths Red light therapy refers to a treatment that uses red and/or NIR light. To treat the brain, use near infrared (NIR) wavelengths which absorb much deeper into the body including the brain and the gut, which is important for treating the physical and psychological aspects of PTSD. Use a Large, Powerful RLT Panel Choose a device with high “power density” or the intensity of light over a specific area, measured in milliwatts per centimeter squared (mW/cm2). The light that shines on the forehead needs to travel through skin, the skull, and brain tissue to be effective. The more powerful the device, the more light will reach the brain. Larger devices are more powerful. They also allow you to treat your brain as well as the gut in one treatment session. Treat the Gut and the Brain Many of the body’s feel-good neurotransmitters are produced in the gut, including serotonin, GABA, melatonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, and acetylcholine. Anxiety and depression are closely linked to an unhealthy gut microbiome. Using red light therapy to improve the gut microbiome can have significant positive effects on mood. Be Consistent Consistency will deliver the best results. The reasoning behind this is that your cells are constantly turning over. Use RLT to treat existing cells that may have been damaged (for example those with mitochondrial dysfunction) as well as emerging cells that are just coming on the scene. Aim for a short 5-minute daily treatment session. You can take the treatment right after taking a shower, before applying lotions or makeup. Be sure to treat the forehead as well as the gut to maximize the amount of feel-good neurotransmitters in the brain. Prioritize Morning Sessions Bright light therapy has long been used to treat psychological disorders. A component of natural bright light (sunlight) is blue light. If you are unable to get regular sun exposure early in the morning, take your red light therapy session in the morning using BIOMAX panels which feature small amounts of blue light to help boost mental sharpness and improve sleep. RLT With The BIOMAX Series The PlatinumLED BIOMAX series will give you the most value for your money of any devices on the market. BIOMAX panels deliver superior power density. They feature two red wavelengths, three NIR wavelengths, and trace amounts of blue and infrared wavelengths for the most comprehensive treatment. They also come in four sizes and are modular, allowing you to link two or four panels together to increase your treatment area. RLT for PTSD and mental health in general is very promising. In addition to PTSD, you can simultaneously treat wounds, reduce neuropathic pain, regrow hair, lose weight, and much more using this natural, non-invasive, and effective treatment. Discover the many uses for red light therapy in the Learning Center!
