As the name suggests, Allergic rhinitis (also known as hay fever) is an inflammatory disorder of the nasal mucosa, which occurs when the immune system overreacts to allergens in the air. This might sound small, but it affects 20% of the adult population and up to 40% of children.
Allergic rhinitis is biologically associated and equated with decreased learning, performance, productivity at work and school, and reduced life quality. It affects the quality of life, including fatigue, irritability, memory deficits, and depression. It is reflecting the social-economic costs and the negative impact on the quality of life.
If we talk about the current therapeutic options like allergen avoidance, medication, and immunotherapy, they are quite far from ideal. Light therapy has been treating immune-mediated dermatological conditions, e.g., psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.
It is one of the oldest treatments that has been practiced in ancient times. Red light therapy has profound immunosuppressive effects on the human body.
As per ARIA guidelines, Red light therapy has been recommended for patients with allergic rhinitis who do not respond to standard medical treatment.
Now, the questions arise what the benefits of red light therapy are? Why should you opt for it?
Well, there are many benefits to using red light therapy:
Light therapy treatment delivers light to pathological areas to promote tissue regeneration, reduce inflammation, and relieve pain. This treatment improves the nasal obstruction caused by Allergic rhinitis. The sessions involve illuminating the nasal cavity through specific wavelength log light ((660nm — 810nm) to the nose for a certain amount of time.
Most light therapy devices include one or two small LED light-emitting probes, which quickly stimulate the nasal cavity's blood capillaries.
Light therapy mechanisms reduce the number and function of dendritic cells and induce immunomodulatory cytokines like IL-10. Cytokines are a large group of proteins, peptides secreted by specific cells of our immune system. The Red Light therapy generates little heat, modulating mucosal blood supply and histamine release (organic nitrogenous compound involved in local immune responses). This heat alters mucosal blood supply.
The therapy shows improvement in the symptoms of nasal congestion and a decrease in nasal resistance. Studies showed that Phototherapy resulted in a significant improvement of clinical symptoms for nasal itching, rhinorrhea, sneezing, and total nasal score.
Red light therapy resulted in a remarkable improvement of clinical symptoms for nasal itching, rhinorrhea, sneezing, and total nasal score.
Adopt light therapy and give your life a better quality. Improve the shape of your life; let the negativity and obstructions be at bay!
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