If you have ever had shingles, you know just how painful it can be to live with this condition. Your skin becomes sensitive. It can get itchy and you might even get a rash with red spots that, if not taken care of properly, can turn into blisters.
To put it lightly, it’s inconvenient. And to be even more to the point, it just absolutely sucks to have to live with shingles.
The question that many people have when they come up against this condition is, “Can I use red light therapy to treat shingles?” The answer can be simple, but it may be dependent on some factors that you need information about before you get started.
Let’s take a closer look at shingles, its symptoms and risk factors first. Then, let's dive into how red light therapy works and how it may be exactly what you’re looking for to treat shingles and relieve its many bothersome symptoms.
Understanding Shingles: Why is this happening to me?
First, what is this condition we call shingles?
Shingles is a viral infection that is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. That virus is called the varicella-zoster virus, for those of you who are fond of medical terms.
I was talking with a coworker about shingles before I started writing the blog post and said something about how I think that I may be in the clear because I had chickenpox as a young child. Imagine my surprise when I found out that I could not have been more wrong.
For those of us who have had chickenpox and had our parents duct tape mittens to our hands to keep us from scratching the ever-increasingly itchy sores that accompany it, this varicella-zoster virus stays behind. Lurking in nerve tissue near the spinal cord and brain, it’s just lying dormant and waiting for its chance to once again become active and annoying.
Seems a bit unfair, doesn’t it?
Why did I get shingles?
There are a number of factors that can contribute to an outbreak of shingles, the first of which is a weakened immune system. It can be as simple as just being over 50 years old, at which point it becomes more common.
A weakened immune system can be caused by having cancer and undergoing treatments like chemotherapy. We also see it in those with HIV/AIDS and even in those whose immune systems are compromised due to things like organ transplants. Basically, when we’re at our weakest, shingles is there to make things worse.
But there are other factors, as well, including stress or even physical trauma. If you’ve had an accident and have had any type of trauma or injury in connection with the nerves where this sneaky virus resides, it may activate the virus; literally insult to injury.
Finally, medications like corticosteroids and immunosuppressants that one might be using to treat certain autoimmune diseases can result in a trigger that sends shingles into action.
Remember that one must have had chickenpox at some point in order to have this virus in one’s system. If you meet that requirement, it’s highly recommended that you be vaccinated against the virus in order to reduce your risk of developing the condition or to, at the very least, lessen its severity should you have the bad luck of having to go through it.
What are the symptoms of shingles?
The first thing that one notices with shingles is pain. It can be mild or severe, but will often feel as though one is being pricked by pins, or in many cases, something much larger than a pin. The pain will most likely be off and on to start, but once you get the rash, it will be more constant.
Oh yes, the rash. This is generally confined to one specific area that follows the path of a nerve and presents as a strip of red, fluid-filled blisters that you’ll find on the side of your body or face. The rash can get quite itchy, so it might be worth finding those old mittens and wearing them to prevent yourself from scratching and making it worse.
The only good news here is that those blisters will be smaller than the ones you had when you had chickenpox, but remember that they will still be extremely sensitive to touch. It’s definitely worth switching from hugs to handshakes during this period.
And while that may already seem like a lot (and it is), the next thing one has to look forward to are the flu-like symptoms that usually accompany shingles. Headache, fever, and just a feeling of general malaise are all part and parcel of this condition. Suffice it to say, there isn’t any aspect of having shingles that is very much fun.
But there is help available!
What is red light therapy?
So what is red light therapy, anyway? It is, quite simply, a treatment that uses a certain spectrum of light to stimulate cellular activity.
Less simply, red light therapy can also be called low-level laser therapy (LLLT) or photobiomodulation (PBM). These ten-dollar words describe a principle in which particular wavelengths of light penetrate skin and promote healing and other therapeutic effects.
Shine a red-light therapy device at one’s skin, and that light penetrates through to the mitochondria. Which is all well and good, but what are mitochondria? Glad you asked. These are, according to the National Human Genome Research Institute, “membrane-bound cell organelles (mitochondrion, singular) that generate most of the chemical energy needed to power the cell's biochemical reactions.”
We find mitochondria in our skin, in our muscles, and in organs like the liver, kidney, and brain. There’s still a lot more to discover about mitochondria, but what we do know is that red light therapy has been shown to be a stimulant in the production of mitochondria, often resulting in decreased inflammation. Which is good news for those suffering from the effects of shingles.
How to use red light therapy to treat shingles
Let’s take a look at how one might incorporate red light therapy into a shingles treatment program in addition to other conventional techniques of treatment.
1. Consult with your healthcare professional
Before you start any treatment of any kind, especially one that is as important as shingles treatment, please check with your healthcare professional first. You’ll want to get their read on your condition, as well as get their personal and professional advice on how to proceed with red light therapy, should they approve this as a mode of treatment.
2. Get the right red light therapy device for treating shingles
You’ll find that these devices come in several form factors, including panels on stands, beds, and even hand-held devices. For a condition like shingles, where the affliction is often localized to a specific area, you may want to look into a smaller device that you can point with precision to the area where you want to promote healing.
3. Using red light therapy to treat shingles
The answer to this question will be a little bit different for everyone, depending upon what you’ve decided with your healthcare professional. The differences will be in the severity of your symptoms. That said, you’re most likely to be applying therapy over the course of 20-30 minutes either daily, or just a few times a week. The most important part is that you maintain consistency in your treatment.
4. Targeting red light at a shingles rash
In order to get the most out of your red light therapy device, simply aim the light towards the spots where your rash is most prevalent or where you feel the worst pain and discomfort. You’ll want to just slowly move the device (or yourself if you’re using a larger device) over the affected area and ensure that you’re getting an even exposure to the light. It’s that simple!
Red light therapy works best for shingles when you have other complementary treatments going at the same time. You’ll often find that healthcare professionals will prescribe antiviral medications, pain relievers, or even topical creams that can help relieve the irritating and exasperating symptoms of shingles. The additional relief they provide while you’re using red light therapy can make a huge difference in your level of comfort while you heal.
5. Keep track of your red light therapy progress
Make sure you monitor your progress during your red light therapy. Check to see how you’re responding to the treatment. Are you noticing reduced pain and inflammation? Are you healing as expected? If so, continue on and reap the benefits!
If, for some reason, you experience any kind of adverse reaction to the therapy, make sure to discuss this with your healthcare professional and get a plan of action that works best for you.
Use red light therapy for shingles maintenance and aftercare
Because the pain associated with shingles can continue even after the rash has gone away, it’s important to continue with treatments, if possible. You may also experience complications like postherpetic neuralgia, in which your skin can continue to be painful to the touch for weeks, months, and even years. As a result, you may want to consider using red light therapy as a maintenance program to reduce the risks of the recurrence of pain.
Whatever path you choose, if you have questions, we're here to help so don't hesitate to reach out to us to find the right device for your needs!