Whole-Body Photobiomodulation Therapy in Patients with Chronic Pain
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Whole-Body Photobiomodulation Therapy in Patients with Chronic Pain: a Feasibility Trial
IRAS ID
278452
Contact name
Arasu Rayen
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 17 days
Research summary
Research Summary
Chronic pain is a common long-term condition that can affect any area throughout the body. Individuals suffering with chronic pain often have associated fatigue, sleep and mood disturbances.
Current treatments for chronic pain include a variety of both medicine-based approaches and non-medical approaches such as exercise and psychology treatments. Patients often take a combination of medications such as antidepressants and strong medications like morphine – which are not always effective, and often associated with several troublesome side effects. Despite physical activity being a common and helpful treatment, evidence shows that patients with chronic pain can find it difficult to engage for a variety of reasons. It would be helpful to see if other non-medication based approaches will be an acceptable treatment to those suffering with chronic pain.
Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy describes a safe, non-invasive low-energy light therapy that has been successful in treating a variety of chronic pain conditions. Cells absorb light to produce a series of reactions that culminate in pain relief, reduced inflammation, and tissue repair. Most studies examining effects of PBM have consisted of a small hand-held probe focused on specific painful areas. There are a cohort of chronic pain conditions that encompass widespread throughout the back, neck and joints#, such as fibromyalgia (FM). Whole-body PBM therapy is able to treat a large area of the body in a short space of time.
The main purpose of the study is to determine feasibility, with a view to guiding a definitive Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT), in terms of: feasibility of eligibility criteria, recruitment rates, acceptability of trial device in the chronic pain population, and acceptability of outcome measures.Summary of Results
We carried out a trial looking at photobiomodulation therapy (red light therapy) in patients with widespread chronic pain. The red light therapy was focused on the whole body and delivered in 20 minute sessions (on average 3 times per week for 6 weeks - a total of 18 treatments).
19 participants completed the study which was based at the Clinical Research Facility, Sandwell General Hospital. All participants had a condition known as fibromyalgia.
The trial was mainly looking at practical points such as how easy participants found the travel and the treatment schedule, as well as their experience of the treatment.
The results tell us that the treatment was very acceptable to participants and showed promising effects on reducing pain levels, fatigue levels, anxiety and depression levels, and improved sleep.
In future we hope to perform a larger trial across a few different hospitals with the same device looking at comparing this new treatment with some of the routine treatments currently in use in managing fibromyalgia symptoms. In designing this trial we will seek to gain support and advice from our patients.
REC name
East Midlands - Leicester Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/EM/0231
Date of REC Opinion
12 Oct 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion