Perspective on broad-acting clinical physiological effects of photobiomodulation

Research into photobiomodulation reveals beneficial effects of light therapy for a rapidly expanding list of medical conditions and illnesses. Although it has become more widely accepted by the mainstream medicine, the effects and mechanisms of action appear to be poorly understood. The therapeutic benefits of photobiomodulation using low-energy red lasers extend far beyond superficial applications, with a well-described physics allowing an understanding of how red lasers of certain optimum intensities may cross the cranium. We now have a model for explaining potential therapeusis for applications in functional neurology that include stroke, traumatic brain injury, and neurodegenerative conditions in addition to the currently approved functions in lipolysis, in onychomycosis treatment, and in pain management.