Chiropractic care is no longer an “alternative” treatment; it’s a cornerstone of pain management and a first-line treatment for many pain-related conditions.
However, while chiropractic adjustments are effective as a standalone treatment, a complementary approach can accelerate healing and improve patient outcomes.
Take, for example, chiropractic red light therapy.
Red light therapy, using LED devices or lasers, is non-invasive and, when combined with chiropractic care, it can revolutionize pain management. Specifically, research suggests that red light therapy can reduce inflammation, accelerate tissue healing, and stimulate natural pain relief.
Therefore, red light therapy is well-suited to complement the pain-relieving benefits of a chiropractic adjustment.
Ultimately, the use of red light therapy in chiropractic care is relatively new. This guide explores its mechanisms, the science, and you can effectively incorporate red light therapy in chiropractic treatment to improve patient outcomes.
How Red Light Therapy Works
Light therapy, or photobiomodulation, uses light (LED or laser) to stimulate cellular activity. Red light therapy (RLT) is a form of light therapy. It uses wavelengths of red and near-infrared light exclusively.
When red and near-infrared light reaches cells and tissues, it interacts with the cell’s mitochondria. This interaction boosts cellular energy production, reduces oxidative stress, and stimulates the release of growth factors.
Therefore, the effect of red light therapy is photochemical, not thermal (like a heating pad). Instead, the effect is like vitamin D synthesis, in which sunlight triggers vitamin D synthesis in skin cells.
Why Wavelength Matters?
Chiropractic laser therapy and RLT relies on using the right wavelengths of light, and most commonly, near-infrared and red light therapy wavelengths are preferred.
The reason is penetration depth.
Visible red light (wavelengths between ~ 630-700 nm) penetrates the outermost layers of the skin, while near-infrared light (700+ nm) penetrates deeper, reaching muscles, tendons, and even bones.
Therefore, in chiropractic care, using near-infrared light vs red light offers the greatest potential for pain relief. These wavelengths ensure light gets delivered to areas like joints and muscles, common targets of chiropractic care.
What About the Therapeutic Effects?
The pain-relieving benefits of light therapy are well-established. For 40+ years, researchers have observed red light therapy’s ability to reduce inflammation and edema, induce pain relief, and promote healing and tissue regeneration.
These benefits start with the photochemical response. First, cellular energy production receives a boost. However, when using red light therapy for chiropractic treatment, fibroblast and collagen production increase, leading to these benefits:
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Tissue Repair
Fibroblasts produce collagen, the primary protein in connective tissues. Increased collagen production aids in repairing damaged tissues, such as muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
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Inflammation Regulation
Inflammation plays an important role in healing. But often, chronic or unchecked inflammation can exacerbate pain and slow down healing. Fibroblast cells regulate inflammation.
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Joint Health
Healthy connective tissues, rich in collagen, are essential for proper joint function. By enhancing tissue repair, red light therapy can improve joint mobility and reduce pain associated with conditions like arthritis.
Delivering Red Light Therapy: LED vs Laser
Red light therapy in chiropractic care can be administered with LED or laser devices. Both methods use red and near-infrared light to stimulate cellular activity.
However, there are some key differences about these methods:
Laser Therapy in Chiropractic Care
Laser therapy is the most common approach, due in part to lasers having been available for longer. With chiropractic laser therapy, a precise beam of high-powered light (typically near-infrared light over 900nm) is delivered to a small area.
There are many different types of chiropractic lasers, which are organized by class. Class IV lasers, however, have emerged as the most precise and powerful. During chiropractic laser therapy, the beam of light is directed at the area and moved slowly around to maximize the treatment area.
Precision is the biggest benefit of laser therapy in chiropractic care. Lasers deliver very precise beams of light with pure wavelengths. Some key points about chiropractic lasers include:
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Amplified light
Lasers produce a highly concentrated beam of light with a specific wavelength.
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Higher intensity
Laser therapy delivers higher energy levels, which may allow for deeper tissue penetration. However, this is changing as LED devices have evolved.
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Smaller treatment area
Lasers are often used for targeted treatment of specific points or areas. Full-body laser treatments aren’t feasible.
Red Light Therapy in Chiropractic Care
LED red light therapy devices emit light over a broader spectrum, including red and near-infrared wavelengths. A key advantage is that these devices offer more even coverage (e.g. a full-body red light panel or red light therapy bed). Additionally, because they offer a broader spectrum, they can used to treat a wider variety of pain.
Some key points about using LED devices for chiropractic light therapy include:
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Lower intensity
LED therapy typically involves lower power output compared to lasers.
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Larger treatment area
LED panels or pads can cover a wider surface area, making them suitable for treating larger muscle groups or multiple areas simultaneously.
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Cost-effective
LED devices are generally more affordable than laser therapy systems.
What Red Light Therapy Devices Are Best for Chiropractic Practices?
This comes down to your practice and the conditions you most commonly treat. Both offer support for many conditions. However, if you specialize in deep tissue pain and on a small scale, you might consider a chiropractic laser therapy device.
Using a laser would allow you to offer very precise treatments that could facilitate faster results for patients. However, a commercial red light therapy bed or LED light panel offers a more generalized approach.
For one, you can provide whole-body treatments. Plus, a relaxing red light therapy session in a bed or on a massage table (with a large LED panel) can enhance the patient’s experience and add value to the service. The best red light therapy beds offer a wide variety of wavelengths, as well, allowing you to individualize the treatment.
Key Benefits of Red Light Therapy for Chiropractic Patients
Red light therapy offers a range of benefits that complement chiropractic care. Traditionally, these treatments can be delivered before or after chiropractic are. However, there may be an advantage to using RLT before, in that treatments may help to relax muscles and prepare the body for adjustments.
Here are some key benefits and conditions that can be treated with red light therapy in chiropractic care:
1. Pain Management
One of the primary benefits of red light therapy is its ability to alleviate pain. Therefore, as a complementary approach, red light therapy treats pain at the cellular level, while chiropractic adjustments treat at the structural level. Some potential targets include
- Lower back pain
- Neck pain
- Arthritis
- Tendinitis
- Muscle strains
2. Accelerated Healing
Red light therapy’s ability to enhance cellular metabolism and stimulate collagen production promotes faster tissue repair. Chiropractic care can enhance this by increasing blood flow and circulation, which delivers important nutrients to the area.
This makes red light therapy + chiropractic adjustments an effective treatment for:
- Sports injuries
- Post-surgery recovery
- Chronic pain conditions
3. Improved Joint Health
By reducing inflammation and supporting tissue regeneration, red light therapy can improve joint function and mobility. Chiropractic treatments, which may reduce pressure on joints or improve mobility, benefit from these cellular processes.
Conditions such as arthritis and joint stiffness may benefit significantly from this therapy.
4. Nerve Pain Relief
Nerve-related conditions like sciatica may respond to chiropractic red light therapy treatments. Adjustments, for example, reduce pressure on pinched or compressed nerves or relax tight muscles that may be causing nerve issues.
Red light therapy complements these benefits by boosting circulation (e.g. which facilitates improved nerve function), as well as inflammation reduction (the biggest cause of nerve pain). Some nerve pain conditions red light therapy with chiropractic adjustments may help include:
- Sciatica
- Herniated disc or pinched nerve
- Neuropathy pain
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
5. Enhanced Chiropractic Adjustments
When used with chiropractic adjustments, red light therapy offers several benefits. It can soothe and relax the body, before adjustments. This may help reduce stiffness and pain, allowing for improved mobility.
After treatments, red light therapy may maximize the effects of an adjustment and offers synergy with benefits like increased circulation. Some of the key ways RLT improves adjustments include:
- Reduce muscle tension and soreness
- Relax the muscles
- Improve joint mobility
- Accelerate the healing process post-adjustment
Red Light Therapy in Chiropractic Practice: The Business Case
Beyond patient benefits, laser therapy and red light therapy can impact the business in several ways.
For one, complementary treatments offer a chance to upsell and bundle services for your clients. This adds value, improves the outcome, and it can significantly increase revenue per patient.
However, adding a cutting-edge treatment option (that’s increasingly popular) also makes RLT a powerful marketing tool.
Many chiropractors use RLT to book speaking engagements, generate media coverage, and attract new patients via social media and paid and organic digital marketing channels. Some of the key benefits to the business include:
1. Increased Patient Satisfaction and Retention
Red light therapy can enhance patient satisfaction. For pain, red light therapy has been shown to offer immediate relief. A recent study, for example, found that red light therapy improved fibromyalgia pain immediately after treatments, with improved pain score, up to six weeks post treatment.
For chiropractic clinics, patient satisfaction is a major driver of referrals, as well as patient retention.
One option: Bundle red light therapy and chiropractic adjustments and offer your clients attractive package or membership pricing for this pain management approach. For more help: See our guide to red light therapy business strategies.
1. Expand Your Treatment Menu
Offering red light therapy expands the range of conditions your chiropractic practice can treat effectively. This can attract patients with a wider range of musculoskeletal issues, increasing your patient base.
An effective approach: Use red light therapy as a marketing tool. Start with videos on social media, invite local media to try a session, or build paid campaigns that showcase your new menu options.
2. Revenue Generation
Red light therapy can be a valuable revenue stream. Whether offered as a standalone service or as an add-on to chiropractic adjustments, it can generate additional income.
Typically, pricing for a 30-minute red light therapy session can range from $35-$125.
3. Enhanced Clinic Image
Adopting red light therapy will position your chiropractic practice as a forward-thinking clinic.
So how do you foster this brand image? First raise awareness about your new approach, but also, use your marketing to showcase your expertise. Explain the science for your customers, share case studies and success stories, and tell your customers why you’ve added it to your menu.
Wrapping Up
Adding red light therapy into your chiropractic practice can transform your pain management menu and improve patient care. However, improving chiropractic patient outcomes with red light therapy relies on:
- Training – Understanding mechanisms and the science of photobiomodulation will help you tailor sessions to individual needs. For example, you may focus on a specific wavelength, use multiple wavelengths, or use light pulsing to best target the source of pain. Training will help you understand how these variables affect outcomes.
- Quality Devices – Whether you’re interested in using LED or laser therapy in chiropractic care, the device you choose is important. The device should be:
- Commercial grade
- Science-based and safe
- Dependable and easily maintained
Bottom line, if you embrace innovative technology and understand how to use it, you can take your chiropractic practice to new levels and enhance patient outcomes.
Hue Light USA offers state-of-the-art red light therapy devices for chiropractic and wellness facilities.
