Headaches are one of the most common types of pain. Every person experiences them at least once in their lifetime. However, with the stressful everyday and modern problems, they have become a frequent health issue, especially during sleep.
Red light therapy is one of the most popular ways to possibly treat headaches or chronic migraines. It is also called low-level light therapy or soft-laser therapy, first used to grow plants in space. It was then that scientists discovered it might promote human cell growth. But how to use red light therapy for headaches?
It is generally safe and comes with many possible health benefits, like migraine relief as well as overall pain relief. So, if you are wondering how to use red light therapy for headaches, continue reading and discover how the whole process works.
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How to Use Red Light Therapy for Headaches
If you are not a fan of medication, RTL might be an ideal solution. It is relatively safe to do it at home. This is because red light is not in the UV spectrum.
Choose the most suitable red light device for you. You can choose between red light lamps, neck pillows, eye masks, panels, and similar. They are all convenient for usage.
To use the red light neck pillow, put it under your neck. If you have chosen an eye mask, lie down and put it on your eyes. Before you start, you must take out your glasses or contact lenses. Also, you mustn’t wear any make-up.
Furthermore, you can use the red light panel and lamps in a laying or sitting position. Put the lamp or the panel in front of you and turn it “On”. The red light will be emitted effortlessly.
By penetrating deep into the neck and the head, the red light therapy might help you relax faster. Therefore, you might heal your headache sooner by practicing RTL at home. These devices might help relieve cluster headaches, migraines, tension-type headaches, etc.
Additional advice for the usage
If you are going for red light therapy at the doctor’s office, you should have a treatment once per week. However, this is different regarding red light devices for home usage. You must be careful not to use the devices for too long.
Therefore, for RTL at home, it is recommended to use the devices once a week for four to five weeks. Moreover, you might be required to use some devices twice a day. Also, one home session of red light therapy should only last between 30 to 60 minutes.
Additionally, before you start, you must read the instructions thoroughly for the device. This way, you will avoid injuring yourself or worsening your health. If you are suffering from severe migraine, you must consult with your doctor before you begin.
Lastly, treating any part of the body besides the head, you must take your clothes off. This is simply because the clothing may prevent the red light from penetrating the skin. Therefore, you may not be able to feel the possible advantages.
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What Is Red Light Therapy?
Red light therapy is a therapeutic method that involves using red wavelengths at a low level so that your skin doesn’t burn or hurt when using a red light lamp or light laser. That’s why this treatment is mainly used for treating various skin conditions.
Doctors use RTL to treat wrinkles and fine lines since the red light might help reduce them. Additionally, it might help improve the appearance of stretch marks, surgery scars, old acne scars, persistent wounds, hyperpigmentation, and other types of skin conditions or areas affected by redness.
RLT may also be efficient for more severe skin conditions. Therefore, it might help patients who are suffering from psoriasis. Besides, it might help reduce the side effects of chemotherapy and help with dental pain too.
Moreover, it might improve muscle tissue and increase the energy of the body’s cells. So, it may also promote hair growth. In addition, it may improve blood flow and help fight against annoying migraines.
You can use this service at the dental office, besides the doctor’s office. Red light therapies can also be found in cosmetic salons to possibly treat less serious skin conditions.
Let’s discover more important information on how to use it for headaches.
Possible Side Effects
Before using red light therapy, you must be aware of its downsides. This will help you avoid any unwanted consequences. You must know that this type of treatment may experience increased inflammation and irritability.
Furthermore, you might also experience eye strain. In this case, you may feel dry or itchy eyes for a short period. That’s why if you have past eye problems or have current ones, before starting with RTL, you must consult with an eye specialist.
In addition, RTL is recommended to be used for too long. This is because exposing your skin to excessive light might damage the skin tissue. Also, if it is used too little, patients may not be able to see the wanted results.
Conclusion
We have come to the very end. Light therapies have been around for a very long time. In the past, many tribes, like the Inca, practiced using sunlight with mixing herbs to treat skin conditions. Today we continue to use different lights to possibly improve our general health.
As sunlight provides us with vitamin D, other lights also have their possible advantages. Red light therapy is no exception. Therefore, it may help us with many health issues, such as headaches.
You might treat headaches with red light therapy at the doctor’s office or in the comfort of your home, but you have to learn how to use red light therapy for headaches. This is thanks to the expansion of the market. So nowadays, you can choose between various RTL devices that are convenient for usage.
This article’s possible health benefits of red light therapy may not apply to all. Everyone is different. Before using such therapy, you must consult with your doctor first.
Hello! I’m Nicky Rodgers.
Almost a decade ago, I got excited about the idea of employing alternative methods like red light therapy to create a healthier life.
To learn more about it, I did my Certified Light Therapist course from Photonic Therapy Institute and started looking into the intricacies of how light therapy influences several bodily processes. Before I knew it, my interest had become an obsession which resulted in this extensive blog.
Here, I offer countless well-researched articles to help you understand the benefits and uses of light therapy. I hope this information gives you a head start in your wellness journey.