The body naturally repairs and builds new bones. Red and infrared light treatment has been found to speed up fracture, break, and bone defect healing in animals and people.
In 2013, Brazilian researchers studied rats with upper leg bone removed. One group of rats received no light therapy, the second received red light (660–690 nm), and the third received near-infrared light (790-830 nm).
The results were promising. Laser-treated groups had significantly higher bone mineralization after seven days.
Red and near-infrared light encourage bone cell energy production, blood vessel creation and circulation, inflammation reduction, bone growth factors, and collagen production. Collagen promotes bone cell development.
Benefits You’ll Get with Red Light Therapy for Your Bones
Red light treatment has shown promise in early studies for improving bone health in a number of ways, including:
Makes Bones Stronger and Denser
Early research suggests that red light treatment may help people with osteoporosis. It encourages osteogenesis, the process of making new bones, and makes bones more vulnerable to stress. In addition, it helps keep the health of the vertebrae.
Researchers have found that red light treatment makes osteoblasts (the cells that make bones) multiply. It also helps collagen build up, which is an important part of bone tissue. When bones are exposed to red light treatment, they experience more bone neoformation than bones that are not treated with this therapy. This makes the bones stronger and more stable.
Aids Bones Heal Faster
Red light therapy speeds up the healing process for a number of bone-related illnesses. It has been seen to help bones heal faster in places where teeth have been pulled, where bones have been broken, and in distraction osteogenesis, a surgery that makes bones longer.
Lessens Swelling from Bone Injuries
The FDA has approved this technique as an effective way to treat inflammation. For example, it has been shown to reduce swelling, which is especially helpful after breaking a bone in the face, where reducing swelling is important for both function and appearance.
Alternative Ways to Counter With Low Bone Density
The section below shortlists some of the alternative methods to counter low and weak bone density troubles.
Exercise is the Key
A key part of managing osteoporosis is getting regular exercise. Walking, yoga, Pilates, and tai chi are all weight-bearing exercises that can help you build and keep your muscle power.
Besides that, these workouts improve balance, which makes it less likely that you will fall and break a bone. Physical therapists are often very important when it comes to making sure that exercise plans are tailored to each person’s wants and abilities.
Vitamin Supplements
For healthy bones, you need to get enough calcium and vitamin D. A lot of people with osteoporosis may need supplements to make sure they get all the nutrients they need every day. Healthcare professionals figure out what each patient needs and tell them what kind of vitamins to take, how much to take, and how often to take them.
Meds for Osteoporosis
Depending on how bad the osteoporosis is and your own personal risk factors, your doctor may give you medicines to help your bones stay strong and lower your risk of breaking them. These medicines can be put into several groups:
Hormone Treatments
Hormone replacement treatments, like estrogen or testosterone, may be thought about, especially for women who have gone through menopause. These hormones can help keep bones strong.
Injectable Meds
In serious cases of osteoporosis or when other treatments don’t work, parathyroid hormone (PTH) analogs, denosumab, and romosozumab may be suggested as injectable drugs. These medicines can help bones grow and become stronger.
Bottom Line
People with osteoporosis have bones that are smaller and weaker, which makes them more likely to break. People with osteoporosis often don’t know they have it until they break a bone.
Finding osteoporosis before it becomes a problem is the best way to keep these kinds of fractures from happening. You need to see your doctor regularly for checkups so that you can find and treat this problem quickly.
Don’t wait until you break a bone to see a doctor; regular visits are the best way to protect your bone health.