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Infrared Light Therapy November 2004 Used by Navy Seals and Army Rangers The dictionary defines an anodyne as a drug that alleviates pain, but Anodyne therapy is not a drug. It's a device that delivers pulses of special wavelengths of light through the skin directly to inured tissues. Though the light itself is invisible, its effects are readily apparent: enhanced blood flow, improved sensation, and regeneration of tissues. True to its name, Anodyne also relieves pain. The lights of the Anodyne system are similar to lights originally developed by NASA to stimulate plant growth in outer space. The device is used by the U.S. military to speed recovery from soft-tissue injuries in elite soldiers in the Navy Seals, Army Rangers, and Special Forces. Hospitals and nursing homes use it to hasten the healing of pressure sores. And at some clinics, Anodyne is used to ease the pain of neuropathy, help restore sensation to patients with nerve impairment, speed up the healing of diabetic ulcers and other wounds, and relieve most any kind of chronic pain. The Power of Nitric Oxide Treatment with the Anodyne system is simple and painless. Four flexible pads, each containing 60 small lights, are affixed over the feet, ankles, or other affected areas. The photon energy that pulses from the lights penetrates beneath the skin and is absorbed by deep tissues. After just 30 minutes of treatment, blood flow is enhanced by 400 percent, and this boost in local circulation persists for several hours after the pads are removed. The key to this dramatic improvement in blood flow is a short-lived molecule called nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is an unstable gas that is crucial to the health of the cardiovascular system, and by extension, to very part of the body that depends on an adequate blood supply for normal functioning. Though nitric oxide exists for only ten seconds after being released by a cell, this powerful signaling molecule helps regulate blood pressure, prevents arterial spasms, and discourages platelets from clumping together in the blood vessels. In short, nitric oxide protects the artery walls and boosts circulation. Help for Diabetic Complications Unfortunately, diabetics produce less nitric oxide than healthy individuals. It's not surprising then that people with diabetes often suffer from problems related to poor circulation, including heart disease, kidney dysfunction, retinal damage, peripheral neuropathy, and impaired wound healing. This is where Anodyne therapy comes in. As blood cells pass beneath the light unit, they absorb photons of energy, causing them to release nitric oxide. This localized release enhances blood flow in the immediate vicinity, bringing oxygen and nutrients to injured tissues and stimulating healing. Anodyne therapy has been the subject of at least eight clinical trials in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy and "loss of protective sensation," an objective measure of nerve impairment and a significant risk factor for amputation. These studies found that treatment with Anodyne restored sensation in 93 percent of affected limbs, greatly reducing risk of amputation. Restored sensation has an added benefit: it improves balance. In one study, the number of falls reported by patients declined by 96 percent following Anodyne treatment. |
