Pain Relief from Light

From light-generating walls and “just-in-time” road illumination to bilirubin blankets and UV phototherapy for psoriasis, the role of lighting in our everyday lives has undergone some extraordinary transformations in recent years. Many of these innovations are the products of initiatives like PlaceIt (Platform for Large Area Conformable Electronics by Integration) an EU consortium whose focus includes integrating lighting with textiles for wearable applications.

Now, a product known as Blue Touch Pain Relief Patch has been introduced in Europe, which uses light-emitting diodes (LEDs) embedded in a flexible, wearable pad to provide non-invasive relief from muscular back pain. The technology is based on the fact that specific wavelengths of blue light induce production of nitric oxide (NO) in the skin. This triggers a series of processes that relax muscles and improve circulation to relieve soreness in as few as two 15- to 30-minutes sessions. The new device offers a natural, drug-free alternative to the 37 percent of adults worldwide who suffer from muscle and joint pain.