Therapy Definitions

Light Therapy

Light therapy, or phototherapy, is the administration of doses of bright light in order to treat a variety of sleep and mood disorders. It is most commonly used to re-regulate the body's internal clock and/or relieve depression.

Light therapy is most often prescribed to treat seasonal affective disorder, a form of depression most often associated with shortened daylight hours in northern latitudes from the late fall to the early spring. It is also occasionally employed to treat such sleep-related disorders as insomnia and jet lag. Recently, light therapy has also been found effective in the treatment of such non-seasonal forms of depression as bipolar disorder. One 2001 study found that bright light reduced depressive symptoms 12–35% more than a placebo treatment in nine out of 10 randomized controlled trials.

When used to treat SAD or other forms of depression, light therapy has several advantages over prescription antidepressants. Light therapy tends to work faster than medications, alleviating depressive symptoms within two to 14 days after beginning light therapy as opposed to an average of four to six weeks with medication. And unlike antidepressants, which can cause a variety of side effects from nausea to concentration problems, light therapy is extremely well tolerated. Some side effects are possible with light but are generally not serious enough to cause discontinuation of the therapy.

There are several other different applications for light therapy, including:

Full-spectrum/UV light therapy for disorders of the skin. A subtype of light therapy that is often prescribed to treat skin diseases, rashes, and jaundice.

Cold laser therapy. The treatment involves focusing very low-intensity beams of laser light on the skin, and is used in laser acupuncture to treat a myriad of symptoms and illnesses, including pain, stress, and tendonitis.

Coloured light therapy. In coloured light therapy, different coloured filters are applied over a light source to achieve specific therapeutic effects. The coloured light is then focused on the patient, either with a floodlight which covers the patient with the coloured light, or with a beam of light that is focused on the area of the illness.

Back of knee light therapy. A 1998 report published in the journal Science reported that the area behind the human knee known as the popliteal region contains photoreceptors that can help to adjust the body's circadian rhythms. The authors of the study found that they could manipulate circadian rhythms by focusing a bright light on the popliteal region. Further studies are needed to determine the efficacy of this treatment on disorders such as SAD and jet lag.
 

Looking for a Therapist in Ireland?
Find Light Therapy in Ireland or
Search the TherapyGuide.ie Ireland Therapist Directory