“Go Green” to SLASH Everyday Aches and Pains
By
Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Posted January 7, 2024
If you battle an occasional ache or pain, you’re in good company.
Estimates are that at least 20 percent of adults suffer from discomfort like lower back pain from time to time. And I’m willing to bet that estimate is low… especially for older folks.
Your choices for relief are often limited to some risky or ineffective over-the-counter solution or just living with it.
But it turns out there’s an unexpected third option you’ve likely never heard of before…
This off-the-beaten-path “light trick” could be the safe and effective pain solution you’ve been searching for.
As odd as it sounds, something as simple as GREEN LIGHT could ease your most annoying aches and pains.
Volunteers were issued either clear, green, or blue-tinted glasses in a small study.
These were folks who were VERY familiar with pain as they suffered from fibromyalgia—a condition that causes chronic widespread pain, fatigue, and muscle stiffness.
Participants wore their assigned glasses for four hours daily for two weeks. And the folks who got the green glasses were the clear winners.
They were FOUR TIMES likelier to report a reduction in pain-associated anxiety. Plus, their reliance on pain pills dropped, too.
In fact, some researchers reported that some participants in the green-light group were reluctant to return the glasses at the end of the study! And honestly, who could blame them?
It’s NOT the first time we’ve seen this surprising pain-soothing effect, either.
In other studies, sitting in a dark room lit by green LED lights or wearing green-tinted glasses has reduced the severity and frequency of occasional…
- muscle pain,
- migraines, and
- aches and tenderness
One study found that headaches in folks exposed to 1 to 2 hours of green light for 10 weeks plummeted by an incredible 70 percent. And in another, patients troubled with tenderness had their aches ease around 40 to 50 percent.
Now, if you’re anything like me, you may wonder WHY this works.
Well, it turns out we’re not alone. Researchers have been puzzling over the same thing. And while we’re not entirely sure WHY the green-light therapy is so effective against pain, we DO have some clues.
For example, nerve pathways start in the eyes and end directly in relevant brain regions. And some of those regions are specifically engaged in pain and pain perception.
Exposure to green light somehow interrupts this cycle in the brain.
But that’s not all. Green light also appears to trigger melanopsin. This light-sensitive brain molecule interacts with brain cells, reducing our PERCEPTION of discomfort.
Before you try this pain relief solution at home, you should know that not any old green light will do. Light of a specific wavelength is required.
Lower and higher wavelengths towards the ends of the green spectrum work best.
It’s unlikely that you own an expensive spectrophotometer to determine if a product produces light within the right area of the spectrum. So, there’s no way to guarantee that any green light or pair of green-tinted glasses you buy IS the correct wavelength.
Your best bet is to research products specifically designed to ease occasional pain. Then, read lots of reviews and make sure the manufacturer has a good reputation.
P.S. Alzheimer’s: “Light” at the end of the tunnel?
Source:
Nelli A, et al “Effects of light induced analgesia on anxiety for fibromyalgia patients” ASA 22, New Orleans.
Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.
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