14 - Red Light Therapy Revisited

It’s been about a year and a half since I last shared an update on my use of red light therapy. Since then, I’ve made a few changes that I think are worth passing along, especially for those exploring pain relief and circulation support at home.

Hitting a Wall with My Old System

For a while, I used various red light therapy products, but over time, I stopped seeing progress. It felt like I had reached a plateau. So, I took a break from using them. That changed recently when my wife was undergoing treatment for tendonitis in both wrists and discovered a piece of equipment that caught my attention.

Introducing the Anodyne Therapy Consumer System (Model 120)

After looking into it further, I contacted the manufacturer and found that they offer a home-use unit. I decided to purchase it, and I’m glad I did.

This device, manufactured by Anodyne Therapy LLC in Tampa, Florida, is a medical-grade infrared therapy system designed to:- Increase circulation- Reduce pain- Ease stiffness- Relax muscle spasms

Anodyne Therapy was actually the first infrared light therapy device cleared by the FDA (back in 1994), and it remains one of the most evidence-backed products available today.

Why Anodyne?

The system uses only infrared light-emitting diodes (LEDs), not red or blue light. Infrared light penetrates deeper into the body, triggering increased circulation and pain relief—even though it’s invisible to the naked eye (infrared begins beyond the visible spectrum, at 700nm). Anodyne uses near-infrared light at 890 nm.

A major plus: no protective eyewear is needed—unlike with lasers. That was a big factor in my decision.

Understanding the Science

Light therapy has a photochemical effect, similar to how sunlight drives photosynthesis in plants. For it to work, enough light needs to penetrate beneath the skin and be absorbed by cells to trigger biological changes.

Over the last 50 years, more than 1,000 scientific papers have been published on the benefits of light therapy.

The key to success is the right dose, which includes:

- Wavelength (Anodyne uses 890 nm for deep tissue penetration)

- Power Density (how much light is delivered to the skin)

- Pulse Frequency (how many times per second the light turns on/off

– Anodyne’s is 292 Hz)

- Duty Cycle (how long the light stays on during each cycle – about 50% with Anodyne)

These dosing parameters are as critical in light therapy as they are in medication. Clinical results can vary depending on how these settings are applied.

LEDs vs. Lasers

LEDs have come a long way—they’re now found in everything from light bulbs to smartphones. They’re also safe and cost-effective for therapeutic use. Anodyne’s system uses clusters of LEDs to maximize power output over each square inch of the treatment area, without the risks or costs associated with medical lasers.

Where to Learn More

If you’re interested in exploring Anodyne Therapy for home use, you can visit their website:👉 https://anodynetherapy.com

So far, I’ve been very pleased with the results. If you’ve been struggling to get relief from pain or poor circulation, this might be worth a closer look.