I came across a review article published in 2023, looking at the effects of photobiomoduation (red and near infrared light) on lung function in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is a rotten thing to live with. The image above, exhorting us to continue to breathe is somewhat ironic for people with COPD, as breathing becomes difficult, especially breathing out.

This article contains lots of good news for people with COPD:

1. The most often used wavelength is 660nm, which one of the two wavelengths available in our TheraPad.

2. This wavelength dampens down inflammation, which is brilliant as COPD is a disorder of lung inflammation. 660nm reduces the migration of cells known to create inflammatory reactions, and reduces the excretion of chemicals called cytokines, which trigger inflammation and chaos in the lung tissue.

3. It also boosts the strength of the muscles that are involved in breathing and could make a big difference to people whose COPD is well advanced.

4. This wavelength also boosts the development of new blood vessels, enabling oxygen and glucose to be delivered more effectively to all of the lung tissue. This is important as another part of the problem with COPD is the destruction of blood vessels and the loss of nutrient supply to areas in the lungs.

If you have COPD, then using visible red 660nm on your chest and back on a daily basis is the way to go. There are no adverse side effects, it feels nice and warm, and it gives a daily dose of anti-inflammation, muscle strengthening and blood vessel building, all of which can make a difference to today’s symptoms and the longer-term progression of COPD.

Reference: Lu Y, Chen YJ, Lee CL, Kuo FY, Tseng YH, Chen CH. Effects of photobiomodulation as an adjunctive treatment in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a narrative review. Lasers Med Sci. 2023;38(1):56. doi:10.1007/s10103-022-03661-6