Among all the tick-borne illnesses in North America, Lyme Disease is one of the most common. In the United States alone, around 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported per year. But the Centers for Disease Control says that the actual number is way higher than the reported cases, as an estimated 300,000 people get affected by Lyme Disease per year in the USA.
People get affected by Lyme Disease due to the bites of infected black-legged ticks. The symptoms of the disease include headache, fever, fatigue, and a special type of skin rash that looks like a “bullseye”. The infection can increase and spread to the heart, the joints, and the nervous system if this disease is kept untreated. So, it is important that you take measures soon after you get affected by this disease. Even though there are some usual treatments of Lyme Disease, sometimes unconventional treatments such as infrared light therapy can help you even more with this disease.
Usual Treatments of Lyme Disease
Usually, people treat Lyme disease using oral antibiotics for a 2 to 4-week cycle. If the infections get identified early, and treatment measures are taken early, then the patient easily gets on the path of full recovery. Normally it is best to prevent the disease rather than cure it, and to prevent it, one needs to reduce the time they spend in wooded areas or the areas where infected black-legged ticks are prevalent. But if they need to be there anyway, it is recommended to wear long sleeves and long pants and use special insect repellents that are designed to repel ticks.
However, if none of these work, and one gets affected by this disease and starts showing long-term symptoms of this disease, then some special treatment is required other than oral antibiotics. In fact, antibiotics are not even totally effective for many people that suffer from this disease. So, infrared light therapy can be a great option in treating this disease, and it can cure the problem without any notable side effects. Let’s see what light therapy is before diving into the connection between light therapy and Lyme Disease.
What is Light Therapy?
Light therapy is one of the most effective and popular forms of therapy. Light therapy technology has been around for quite some time, but it has become popular in recent times as people have gotten to know about the numerous benefits light therapy offers. Light of different colors is used in light therapy, as each different color provides a different set of advantages.
In general, light therapy can help a person deal with a lot of physical issues such as skin problems, hair loss problems, muscle pain, muscle building, weight loss, various types of pain and wound, sleep problems, etc. Light therapy also helps to deal with mental health problems such as seasonal affective disorder, depression, anxiety, stress, etc. And you need to find the right color of light to deal with your specific needs.
Light therapy devices emit strong light that can penetrate your skin, muscles, and even bones, and work on a cellular level to generate specific chemical reactions to deal with your issue.
Normally lights that have wavelengths in the visible spectrum are used, such as red light, blue light, yellow light, amber light, etc. But a specific light that has a wavelength exceeding the visible spectrum is also used, which is the infrared light. Infrared light operates at wavelengths that are between 700 to 1000 nm. Near-Infrared and Infrared light is highly used in light therapy devices, as they can have a huge impact on the functions of our body.
The same goes for red light therapy too. Red light, near-infrared light, and infrared therapy are mostly used in light therapy, as three provide the most benefits that have been mentioned. Also, in the case of Lyme Disease, red light and infrared light therapy can help you. Red light and infrared therapy, especially the infrared one can help in various ways to treat Lyme disease and relieve the patient of the painful symptoms. Let’s look at how infrared therapy can help a person that has been affected by Lyme Disease.
How Infrared Therapy Can Help with Lyme Disease
As said earlier, when a person gets affected by Lyme Disease, they can suffer from headaches, fever, fatigue, a specific type of skin rash, etc. And infrared light therapy can help a patient to get rid of all these problems one by one.
Let’s see how light therapy can help.
Reduces Pain
If you get your affected parts exposed to the infrared light emitted by a light therapy device, the light will penetrate your skin and muscles, and then will help to generate specific hormones and chemical reactions that will increase blood circulation. It will help the affected parts get more nutrients, oxygen, and immune cells, and this improved circulation will help to reduce stiffness, pain, and inflammation in tissues and joints.
Reduces Fatigue
Red light and infrared light therapy can help a person by relaxing their muscles, releasing the tension, and providing the necessary comfort and relaxation they need. Light therapy can in general be very relaxing as it can provide a calming feeling. As a result, it can help with the chronic fatigue that comes with Lyme Disease. Light therapy can also lift one’s mood.
Removes Toxins
The liver and kidneys of a person affected by Lyme disease can be strained due to inflammation, and bacterial infections can create toxins inside the body. If any measure isn’t taken, these toxins can build inside the internal organs and cause even more difficulties. Infrared light can help flush these toxins out of the patient’s body through perspiration and prevent any more problems from building up.
Relieves Inflammation
Light therapy is famously known for helping with inflammation. Lyme disease can cause prolonged inflammation in a person, and prolonged inflammation can be really damaging for various body cells if it’s not dealt with properly. Infrared light therapy can easily help you deal with inflammation and minimize the possible damage by increasing blood circulation. Also, it will help you heal from the disease overall.
Final Words
Even without the specifics, infrared light therapy can boost one’s immunity which can come in really handy in treating Lyme disease overall. It is important to take care of this disease as soon as possible, as it can create various problems and keep a person sick for a prolonged period. And infrared light therapy can be a perfect way of treating this disease and dealing with all the symptoms.
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