Seven Castles

Light Therapy

                                      

July 18, 2008

 

Light therapy (or photo-therapy) is the exposure to light – whether it is daylight or light using different kinds of lights (like lasers, fluorescent lamps and LEDs) for a specific amount of time or at a specific time of the day.

 

The therapy has found many uses in different areas. For example, it is used to treat a variety of skin diseases and it is used to treat mood and sleep related disorders as well.

 

It has been known since a long time that sunlight helps cure the bacteria that cause acne. The visible violet light present in the sunlight activates a porphyrin that damages and kills the bacteria that cause acne. And this process does not cause any tanning or sunburn. However, during the course of this treatment, it is important to protect the eyes from the light, as this may be harmful to the chemicals in the retina.

 

One of the common problems of people suffering with psoriasis is skin inflammation. Narrow band ultraviolet B rays are given as a therapy on the skin surface inflamed. The ultraviolet rays help suppress the inflammation on the skin.

 

It has been found that infrared light releases nitrous oxide in the blood stream that increases the circulation of blood in the area where the light is directed. This is very helpful for people, who due to various diseases such as diabetes find it very difficult to heal wounds on the surface of the skin. This is also helpful for patients suffering with neuropathy, ulcers, and for patients whose blood circulation is improper.

 

People with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) go into depression like states during the winter months. This is seen in places where the amount of daylight is very less in these seasons (countries near the North Pole, for instance). The cure for these people is full sunlight. So, light boxes that replicate sunlight conditions are used for these patients. These use artificial illumination to recreate the fully lighted atmospheric conditions normally present in sunlight.

 

For a non-seasonal kind of depression, the therapy has shown interesting results in the treatment of such patients as well. A similar kind of treatment method is followed for treating these patients as with the people affected with SAD. The results are faster compared to the use of anti-depressants.

 

People suffering with delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS) have problems sleeping and often end up falling asleep way past midnight and thus have difficulty waking up in the morning. In these cases the light must be provided as soon as the patient wakes up. The therapy is useful for the people suffering from DSPS because it causes dawn simulation.

 

It has been seen that exposing the person suffering from jet lag to light at appropriate times before, during and after the air travel can actually reduce the effects of jet lag and help the body to adjust easily to the time differences. NASA has even used this process to train its astronauts for late night launches.

 

Heliotherapy is a very popular term used to describe the therapy, and is used in spas and such places that use various forms of the therapy to provide tanning beds and booths and even tanning lamps that use both ultraviolet and infrared rays of light for providing treatment to their customers.

 

In the therapy, you sit with your eyes open in front of a light box - a small, portable device that contains fluorescent bulbs or tubes. The light box emits a type and intensity of light not found in normal household lighting, so simply sitting in front of a lamp in your living room will not relieve the SAD symptoms. The therapy mimics outdoor light and causes a biochemical change in your brain that lifts your mood, relieving SAD symptoms.

 

The therapy may be helpful for you if you do not want to take medications such as antidepressants; if you cannot tolerate the side effects of antidepressants; if you have tried antidepressants but they have not been effective; if you want an alternative to psychotherapy; if you are pregnant and concerned about the effects of antidepressants on your developing fetus; or if you lack insurance coverage for mental health services. The therapy may be helpful in treating conditions other than SAD. However, it should not be a substitute for standard treatment.

 

However advantageous the therapy may be, there are certain times when the therapy is not advisable. It has been observed that exposure to too much light can cause skin damage as well as destroying the amounts of vitamins A and C in the skin, and it can damage the generation of free radicals in the body. It is for this reason that the therapy should always be taken in the presence of a licensed practitioner, qualified doctor or dermatologist.

 

The therapy used for patients suffering from depression can also cause maniac states (the absolute opposite of depressed states) because of the mood alteration effect produced by it. As such, it can also be considered similar to taking mood-altering drugs. Hence, it is always advised to take such therapies under the consultation of a qualified medical practitioner only.

 

In some cases, where the patient suffers from phototoxicity (light can kill the cells), or has a photosensitive skin or is taking certain medicines that can create such conditions, the therapy is not advised. Also, with patients that have a tendency towards manic behavior, the therapy is not advised.

 

The therapy is most effective when you have the proper combination of intensity, duration and timing. The therapy requires time and consistency. Some people quit because they do not want to spend a lot of time sitting by a light box. But the therapy does not have to be boring. You can set your light box on a table or desk in your home or in your office. You can read, use a computer, write, watch television, talk on the phone or eat while undergoing the therapy. Some light boxes are even available as visors that you can wear. Because the therapy seems to work best in the early morning, you may need to wake up earlier than you normally would to match treatment with biological rhythms. You may find that difficult to do, especially if depression leaves you feeling lethargic.

 

With appropriate light therapy, you may start to feel better within several days. In some cases, though, it can take two or more weeks. Sticking to a consistent daily routine of light therapy sessions can help ensure that you maintain those benefits over time. If you interrupt the therapy during the winter months or stop too soon in the spring when you think you are improving, your symptoms could return.

 

The therapy, though useful, can also have some uncommon but dangerous effects, if one is not careful about it. They include eyestrain, headache, agitation, nausea, insomnia, irritability, fatigue, dry mouth, and sleep disruptions. You may be able to manage these problems by reducing treatment time, moving farther from the light box, taking breaks during long sessions or changing the time of day you use the therapy. This is the case with anything in life: if overdone or not properly done, it can be harmful.

【作者: zhangliping】【访问统计:】【2008年07月18日 星期五 05:29】【注册】【打印】