Burn injuries can turn fatal if left unattended. A new study has found that light therapy can help heal burn injuries faster. Here’s everything you need to know.
Burns can vary from minor medical problems to life-threatening injuries. Did you know several people can suffer from irreversible repercussions if they ignore the injuries, and do not take immediate medical help? Burns are treated differently depending on where they occur and how severe they are. Small scalds and sunburns may typically be cured at home. Burns that are deep or extensive require prompt medical treatment. A new study has found that light therapy may be useful in treating burns.
In fact, light therapy has become a popular natural healing option and pain reliever. From professional athletes to older folks with arthritis, everyone is taking care of their burns. It is believed that there are no side effects of this therapy, however, professional advice is recommended.
What is Light Therapy?
Light therapy is a method of using artificial light to treat illnesses. You sit or work near a device called a light treatment box during light therapy. The box emits a brilliant light that resembles that of a natural outdoor light source.
According to a study published in ‘Scientific Reports’, light therapy aids in the healing of burn injuries by activating growth protein. By activating endogenous TGF-beta 1, a protein that regulates cell development and division, photobiomodulation treatment a type of low-dose light therapy capable of alleviating pain and encouraging healing and tissue regeneration sped up burn recovery and decreased inflammation in mice.
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How Does The Light Therapy Work?
Explaining how photobiomodulation therapy works, Praveen Arany, DDS, PhD, assistant professor of oral biology in the UB School of Dental Medicine explained that supportive cancer treatment, age-related macular degeneration, and Alzheimer’s illness have all benefited from photobiomodulation therapy. “A common feature among these ailments is the central role of inflammation. This work provides evidence for the ability of photobiomodulation-activated TGF-beta 1 in mitigating the inflammation while promoting tissue regeneration utilizing an elegant, transgenic burn wound model,” further explained Arany.
Over the course of nine days, the researchers assessed the effect of photobiomodulation on the closure of third-degree burns. As per the study results, TGF-beta 1 was activated as a result of the therapy, which stimulated fibroblasts (the body’s major connective tissue cells that play a key role in tissue repair) and macrophages, two cell types involved in healing (immune cells that lower inflammation, clean cell debris and fight infection).
Researchers of the study also highlighted that hundreds of clinical studies and thousands of scholarly articles have shown the usefulness of photobiomodulation in relieving pain and promoting recovery. The Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer recently approved the therapy as a routine treatment for pain alleviation from cancer-related oral mucositis (mouth inflammation and lesions).
This post first appeared on The Health Site
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