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The medical industry has taken great strides in helping to improve our understanding of the human body. We’ve found an effective treatment for Hepatitis C, eradicated smallpox and rinderpest, and are working on treatments to cure cancer. No one can say we haven’t been successful in the medical world, particularly with the help of incredible research and technology.
However, there is one family of disease that continues to be somewhat of a mystery in the medical world. And while it’s being highly studied, more and more people are being diagnosed with it.
What’s the mystery disease? It’s autoimmunity.
Now, autoimmune diseases can vary greatly, as it's an umbrella term for many autoimmune-based disorders. However, they all have one common thread, in that the body's natural defense system cannot tell the difference between your own cells and foreign cells. This causes the body to attack its own cells healthy unknowingly.
Under the term "autoimmune diseases," there are around 80 different types that affect various parts of the body, with some of the most common forms manifesting as celiac, IBS, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
The symptoms of autoimmune diseases aren’t pleasant ones by any means. However, they do range depending on the specific condition. Many people with an autoimmune disease experience multiple symptoms such as severe inflammation, joint and pain swelling; as well as skin conditions, recurring fever, swollen glands, and digestive issues.
Though we know the symptoms of autoimmune diseases, the underlying cause can be difficult to determine for patients – exact cause of autoimmune disorders is unknown.
More importantly, autoimmune disorder cases are rising. A study published this year showed a staggering rise in autoimmunity in the U.S., particularly in the rate of people testing positive for antinuclear antibodies (ANA), the most common marker of autoimmunity. Over the course of 25 years, the researchers found an overall 50 percent increase. That is astounding.
Even though we understand these diseases are increasing, we don't know why.
But there is more and more evidence that the balance of microbiome in our guts plays a significant role. Having a diverse range of microbes positively influences our immune systems. People living in developed countries have higher rates of autoimmune diseases due to our less microbially environments. In other words, we're inside more, overuse antibiotics, live with chronic stress, and have poor diets. Not a great combination for a long and healthy life.
Autoimmune disorders are a reflection of the unhealthy environment we've created for ourselves. We're overworked, stressed, and not supplying our bodies with the proper nutrients. Of course, a lifestyle change is necessary to reduce autoimmune disorders cases and symptoms. But there's another thing you can do to help yourself, and that's by undergoing at-home light therapy treatment.
First, light therapy helps to improve immune cells, which is crucial for those with autoimmune disorders. When undergoing red light therapy, cells respond to the wavelengths. Pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α is released from the cells, and leukocytes (white blood cells) can enter the body's tissue to promote healing. In addition, red light therapy aids in activating lymphocytes, which increases the movement of epithelial cells, thus healing wounded areas quickly and increasing cell turnover rates.
But there are other symptoms red light therapy focuses on, and it's joint pain and inflammation. For people who have rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and other autoimmune diseases, inflammation and pain are a daily struggle. One study found that light therapy significantly improved inflammatory cells during both the early and late stages of Rheumatoid arthritis.
By using Lunas’ red light therapy devices, you’re able to tackle multiple symptoms of autoimmune disease, reduce your stress levels, and improve your immune system by investing a few minutes sitting or standing in front of your red light device.
Ontario is a known leader in conducting innovative clinical trials, and the clinical trials community in Ontario has proven this strength throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. One innovative trial underway in Ontario is Vielight Inc.’s COVIDlight trial, which tests whether the recovery of COVID-19 patients may be accelerated by the use of a specialized light therapy device. This trial was made possible in part by Clinical Trials Ontario’s Trial Site Network through a connection made between Vielight Inc. and Impact Clinical Trials. CTO spoke with representatives from Vielight and Impact Clinical Trials about their trial and their experience with the Trial Site Network.
Vielight Inc. has developed a compact and portable device named the “Vielight RX Plus,” based on the science of photobiomodulation (PBM). PBM uses certain light energy to modify cellular functions and can play a role in the management of COVID-19. This clinical trial assesses the efficacy of the Vielight RX Plus to reduce symptom duration and severity in patients suffering from COVID-19.
The Vielight RX Plus device delivers light therapy to the sternum and the nasal canal.
“This device brings a holistic approach to the treatment of COVID-19 patients,”
said Nazanin Hosseinkhah, Research Scientist and Physicist at Vielight Inc.
“The device stimulates the thymus gland, creates nitric oxide, increases natural killer cells, acts as an anti-inflammatory therapy, and increases cellular energy.”
This unique, at-home study has the potential to modulate immune cell and cytokine activity in COVID-19 patients with an easy to use the device.
“We are very hopeful that this trial will prove to help patients recover from COVID-19 at home, and result in less burden to the healthcare system,”
said Hosseinkhah.
This randomized controlled trial, being managed by Impact Clinical Trials, is actively recruiting 280 participants who are confirmed to have contracted COVID-19. The trial was authorized by Health Canada in early September and is recruiting participants in Ontario and the United States. Participants are allocated into a treatment or a control group, with 140 participants randomized to receive the Vielight RX Plus device and the other 140 participants receiving the current standard of care. The trial is conducted remotely with non-hospitalized participants.
Participants in the treatment group receive the device by courier within 24 hours of registering for the trial. They are asked to place the device on their chest and onto their nostril for 20 mins each day. They then track their symptoms within a daily survey over a 30-day period.
“This is a simple, at-home study for participants to be involved in,”
said Andrea Berk from Impact Clinical Trials.
“Participants in both the treatment and the control groups are completely supported throughout the trial, with a 24-hour number they can call if they have any questions.”
This trial was made possible in part by a connection made directly through CTO’s Trial Site Network. The Trial Site Network, part of CTO’s Industry Concierge program, comprises more than 230 sites. The Network allows CTO to provide warm introductions to Ontario’s hospitals, research institutions, private research networks, and CROs.
“We have been able to guide companies such as Vielight in getting their trials up and running in Ontario,”
said Andrew Haller.
“I was introduced to Andrew Haller from CTO a few months before the COVID-19 pandemic,”
said Berk.
“Pre-COVID I was working on half a dozen connections that had been made through the Trial Site Network. When COVID-19 hit, those projects were put on hold. I reached out to Andrew to let him know Impact Clinical Trials had the consulting capacity, and that is when he introduced us to Vielight.”
Haller knew that Vielight had been searching for someone to take on the management of their clinical trial. “When Andrew introduced us to Andrea Berk from Impact Clinical Trials, we immediately connected and knew they were the right fit,” said Hosseinkhah.
Sinus infections are inflammation based. Sinusitis is when inflammation is chronic, and the body is unable to overcome it. Sinusitis or sinus infections may be acute (coming on suddenly) or chronic (long-lasting & nothing seems to fix it.
There are sinus cavities above the eyebrows, behind the nose, and under the cheekbones. When the mucus membranes within the sinuses become inflamed, mucus is generated. Sometimes even air is trapped, which puts pressure on the walls of the sinus cavities, making our face hurt, causing difficulty in breathing thru the nose — this is called sinusitis.
Studies have shown that 37 million people per year in the US are affected with sinusitis at one time or another involving all age brackets.
Is There a Natural, Safer Treatment Option?
Some people immediately run to a doctor wanting antibiotics, which may not help since not all sinusitis is due to bacteria. Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has been proven effective in enabling the body to overcome inflammation. Many of our patients find that when they use low light Laser Therapy to treat their sinus infections, they experience two things: First — patients notice a significant difference after 1 treatment (breathing easier and sinus drainage); Second — they are less likely to get recurring infections, as is often the case when taking antibiotics.
Irradiation of red light penetrates several millimeters into tissue; in the infrared part of the spectrum, the penetration goes up to several centimeters, usually 4–6 cm. This is a very advantageous fact for treating sinusitis, for laser irradiation can be applied externally. However, when applying a red laser, it is necessary to introduce a light guide in the sinus.
Laser therapy is a safe, painless, non-invasive, and effective therapy to reduce pain and swelling, allowing the body to restore damaged tissue. Laser therapy uses red and infrared light to relieve pain and accelerate healing and decrease inflammation. When the light source is placed against the skin, the photons penetrate several centimeters and get absorbed by the mitochondria, the cell’s energy-producing cells part. This energy fuels many positive physiological responses resulting in the restoration of normal cell function. Laser therapy offers our bodies the opportunity to heal with no side effects and no long term damage.
Long Term/Cumulative Effects of Laser Therapy:
LLLT irradiation is a benefit for the treatment of acute sinusitis. External irradiation with a laser with 830 nm wavelength, enabling the beam to penetrate 4–6 cm deep, is recommended. Irradiation with red light-emitting lasers is also effective. Still, due to the need for application through a light guide inserted into the cavity, this method has been discarded from clinical practice.
Laser irradiation works through its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and biostimulation effects on ease of pain or elimination. It also causes a quicker withdrawal of inflammation and edema of the mucosa. It thus brings restoration of drainage of sines as well as normalization of mucociliary function. Immunomodulatory effect — improvement of both specific and non-specific immunities by stimulation of T and B lymphocytes, lysozyme, and phagocytosis — is also significant. Stimulation of Langerhans cells of the mucose of sines is presumed, too.
Laser irradiation in treating sinusitis has no contraindications (except for general contraindications, i.e., malignant tumors in the irradiation area or epilepsy). As physiotherapy, it can suitably complement therapy with antibiotics, mucolytics, and antihistaminics. The use of a laser with 830 nm wavelength appears to be the most beneficiary on diagnosis sinusitis acute with liquid levels in paranasal sinuses, the treatment of which was cut down by 59 percent in average, and on a group of patients with plain catarrhal obscure and decreased transparency (the most frequent) where the duration of therapy was shortened by 39 percent.
By using red light therapy devices from Kaiyan Medical, you’re able to reduce sinus inflammation and improve your immune system by investing a few minutes using a red light device.
I have a friend who often shows extreme shifts in moods. Sometimes I see an extremely elevated mood, and sometimes, it's depression. On some days, I see episodes of uplifted feelings and depression at the same time.
Strange right!
Later I figured out that she was going through a mental illness called bipolar disorder. This isn’t a rare brain disorder. In fact, about 15 million U.S adults suffer from this disorder.
Bipolar disorder is a mental illness characterized by dramatic transfer in mood and behavior. Bipolar depression can last from several days to years, depending on the person's type and state.
Let’s put light on some of the unknown facts of Bipolar Disorder.
We basically classify the states into two broad classes:
If we compare other types of depression, there are fewer treatments available for bipolar disorder.
Hence, it is important to find an effective treatment for your illness.
Antidepressant medications, on the other hand, are not clearly effective. They may aggravate the mood cycling in people with bipolar disorder. Also, many people with bipolar disorder are prescribed to take other medications like mood stabilizers.
That’s why it is important to go for a non-medication treatment, like light therapy!
But why is it recommended? Light therapy is more effective, non-invasive, and absolutely safe because it can be used without worrying about additional drug interactions.
Humans have natural 24-hour clocks, which are disrupted in bipolar disorder. One way of treating bipolar disorder is to handle the circadian rhythm (24*7 natural cycle that regulates the physical, mental, and behavior changes). And this can be achieved with bright light therapy.
The light emitted during light therapy activates the retina in the eye, resulting in a stimulus being transmitted from the eye to the brain's hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is a part of the brain that has a vital role in regulating mood. It also helps control many bodily functions, such as the release of hormones from the pituitary gland and channelizing the mood.
The light acts through the eyes to regulate the biological clock located in a tiny brain region. There are disturbances in the biological clock that affect circadian rhythms in people with bipolar disorder, including hormonal rhythms, sleep, feelings, cognition, and other behaviors.
Light therapy triggers the hypothalamus and helps bipolar patients to calm their emotional flow and have normal behavior.
Studies have shown that light can affect the major neurotransmitters, or chemical messengers, involved in mood and behavior, e.g., serotonin and dopamine. So, light therapy may act similarly to antidepressants by directly working on these neurotransmitters.
We found trials of light therapy compared to a placebo in people with bipolar depression. The studies' results displayed a significant improvement in depressive symptoms with bright light compared to placebo conditions.
I recommended my friend to you light therapy, and that really helped her. The quality of personal life is great since then. If you are also like my friend who is dealing with bipolar disorder, you possibly got the remedy.
Remember, your Mental Health matters!!
Rosacea is a common inflammatory skin condition affecting approximately 5% of the world population. Therapeutic approaches to rosacea are focused on symptom suppression employing anti-inflammatory agents. Photodynamic therapy, especially light-emitting diodes, has been introduced as a valid alternative to conventional therapy.
Because of rosacea's potential complexity, it has been classified into subtypes according to signs and symptoms that often occur together. Patients may have characteristics of more than one subtype at the same time. Although the cause of rosacea is unknown, several possibilities are currently being studied, including flushing, inflammatory pathways, and Demodex mites. Simultaneously, a growing range of therapies is available to address rosacea's signs and symptoms. While your doctor will tailor medical therapy to your individual case, treatment options may often be keyed to standard subtypes and level of severity.1
As with any medical therapy, outcomes of rosacea treatment may vary from case to case. Compliance with therapy — using your medication as your doctor prescribes — is an important key to success. Please consult a dermatologist or other physician to determine the appropriate therapy for your individual case.
Subtype 1 (erythematotelangiectatic) rosacea is characterized by flushing and persistent facial redness. Visible blood vessels may also be present, and facial discomfort is common.
Research into the physical processes involved in rosacea has recently led to new prescription therapy to relieve facial redness. It may also be important for you to identify and avoid lifestyle and environmental factors that trigger flushing or irritating your skin. The most common factors are covered in Rosacea Triggers, and a Rosacea Diary is available to help you identify and avoid those factors that affect your individual case.
The appearance of flushing, redness, and visible blood vessels may also be concealed with cosmetics, and facial discomfort may benefit from appropriate skincare, both discussed under Skin Care & Cosmetics.
Visible blood vessels and severe background redness may be reduced with lasers or intense pulsed light therapy. Several sessions are typically required for satisfactory results, and touch-up sessions may later be needed as the underlying disease process is still present.
In specific cases, extensive flushing may be moderated somewhat through the use of certain drugs.
Subtype 2 (papulopustular) rosacea is characterized by persistent facial redness and acne-like bumps and pimples and is often seen after or at the same time as subtype 1. Fortunately, however, several medications have been extensively studied and approved for this common form of rosacea and may also be used on a long-term basis to prevent symptoms recurrence.
In mild to moderate cases, doctors often prescribe oral and topical rosacea therapy to bring the condition under immediate control, followed by long-term use of topical therapy alone to maintain remission. A version of oral therapy with less risk of microbial resistance has also been developed specifically for rosacea and is safe for long-term use.
Higher doses of oral antibiotics may be prescribed, and other drugs may be used for patients who are unresponsive to conventional treatments.
Subtype 3 (phymatous) rosacea is characterized by skin thickening and enlargement, most frequently around the nose. This condition develops primarily in men. Although mild cases may be treated with medications, moderate to severe manifestations, typically require surgery.
A wide range of surgical options is available, including cryosurgery, radiofrequency ablation, electrosurgery tangential excision combined with scissor sculpturing, and skin grafting. A surgical laser may be used as a bloodless scalpel to remove excess tissue and recontour the nose, often followed by dermabrasion.
Subtype 4 (ocular) rosacea is characterized by any one of many eye symptoms, including a watery or bloodshot appearance, foreign body sensation, burning or stinging, dryness, itching, light sensitivity, and blurred vision. A history of having styles is a strong indication and has “dry eye” or blepharitis.
Treatment for mild to moderate ocular rosacea may include artificial tears, oral antibiotics, and the eyelashes' daily cleansing with baby shampoo on a wet washcloth. More severe cases should be examined by an eye specialist, who may prescribe ophthalmic treatments, as potential corneal complications may involve visual acuity loss.
Currently, there are two traditional treating methods, such as medications and physical treatment. Doctors can prescribe medications. Usually, the medications are antibiotics. The thing is, however, there are side effects from the antibiotics. Additionally, there is no proof that Rosacea is a bacterial condition. So the effectiveness of treatment could remain uncertain. Plus, going to see a doctor can be time-consuming & money consuming.
Physical treatment can be soup or gel to help better improve the skin. However, people have different skin types. Usually, it is super expensive to diagnose the skin condition in great detail; people have different skin types. The wrong usage of beauty products could lead to worsen skin problems or increase sensitivity.
Several therapeutic approaches are currently available for treating rosacea, and they are mainly aimed at controlling disease symptoms. The therapeutic plan has to be adapted to the rosacea subtype and tailored according to the patient's dominant manifestations. In general, the reduction of oral therapy in favor of topical or physical therapy is desirable to reduce side effects for patients and increase the treatment's safety.
The therapeutic approach has blue (480 nm ± 15 nm) and red (650 ± 15 nm) LED light-based therapy in patients affected by rosacea. Previous research reported the efficacy of red and blue light coupled with mild to moderate acne lesions. Blue light (400–470 nm), due to its lower penetration, is useful in such skin conditions related to the skin's epidermis layer; therefore, it can also interfere with human sebocyte proliferation. On the other hand, red light (630 nm) is reported to affect sebum production significantly. The benefits deriving from PDT using LEDs are not limited to its efficacy but are also related to its safety and tolerance by patients; therefore, its advantages can be extended to a broad range of dermatological conditions.
Two AM, Wu W, Gallo RL, Hata TR. Rosacea: part I. Introduction, categorization, histology, pathogenesis, and risk factors. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2015;72(5):749–58. quiz 759–60. PMID: 25890455
Plewig G, Kligman AM. History of Acne and Rosacea. In: ACNE and ROSACEA. Berlin: Springer; 2000.
Odom R, Dahl M, Dover J, Draelos Z, Drake L, Macsai M, Powell F, Thiboutot D, Webster GF, Wilkin J. Standard management options for rosacea, part 2: Options according to subtype. Cutis, 2009;84:97–104.
Kolontaja-Zauber, I., Ināra Ančupāne, Andra Dērveniece, Aija Žileviča, & Ilze Ķikuste. (, 2018). Impact of intense pulsed light therapy on the quality of life of rosacea patients. Proceedings of the Latvian Academy of ences Section B Natural Exact and Applied sciences, 72(1), 9–15.
Kim, B. Y., Moon, H. R., & Ryu, H. J. . (2018). Comparative efficacy of short-pulsed intense pulsed light and pulsed dye laser to treat rosacea. Journal of Cosmetic & Laser Therapy, 1–6.
Bo, Young, Kim, Hye-Rim, Moon, & Hwa, et al. (2018). Comparative efficacy of short-pulsed intense pulsed light and pulsed dye laser to treat rosacea. Journal of Cosmetic & Laser Therapy Official Publication of the European Society for Laser Dermatology.
Smith, J. P. K. . (1984). The eyes have it: young children’s discrimination of age in masked and unmasked facial photographs. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology.
"Metastatic breast cancer can be a devastating diagnosis with high rates of relapse and death, and there are currently no effective therapies,"
Nalinikanth Kotagiri, MD, Ph.D. says.
"Despite newer treatments, many patients still succumb to the disease. Major limitations include acquired resistance to therapies and serious side effects from treatment. Due to the widespread location of breast cancer cells, particularly in the bone marrow, which harbors the tumor cells as well as vital stem cells, the risk of toxicity is even higher with conventional therapies. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies that selectively destroy tumor cells, increase treatment efficacy, prevent relapse and reduce side effects by sparing the healthy stem cells are necessary."
This is why Nalinikanth Kotagiri, MD, Ph.D., assistant professor in the James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy and a cluster hire for the Cincinnati Cancer Center, is hoping to study ways ultraviolet light can activate light-sensitive drugs to treat this invasive breast cancer and provide that light at the end of the tunnel patients yearn for.
Kotagiri has been awarded the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Breakthrough Award—over $600,000 for three years—to try to do just that. His project will focus on light-mediated therapies, which could activate light-sensitive drugs to target only the cancerous cells.
"Therapies such as photodynamic therapy (PDT), involving light and a photosensitizing chemical substance, which used in conjunction with molecular oxygen can cause cell death, offer a high degree of control that is effectively used to manage cancer in early to advanced stages," he says. "It operates on a simple principle where a light-sensitive drug, which is otherwise nontoxic, introduced into certain tissues can cause cell death when activated by light. Despite the promise of PDT, it can't penetrate tissue deeply so its use is limited. Also, current light-sensitive drugs require oxygen to be effective, but many tumors, including breast tumors, have pockets of low oxygen or grow in regions where oxygen is either low or absent, which could prevent effective application of PDT in cancer treatment."
However, Kotagiri says recent work in the lab has led his team to a "two-pronged approach" in addressing these issues.
"We've been using ultraviolet (UV) light from radionuclides (radioactive nuclide or atom), which are already used to image tumors and tissues, and tried to solve oxygen dependence by using metal-based light-sensitive drugs for depth- and oxygen-independent PDT," he says. "By replacing the external light source, such as lasers and lamps, with light from radionuclides as an 'internal' light source, we've been able to better control therapy in the body.
"This could mean more effective therapies with minimal toxicity to vital organs and tissues. Since radionuclides are used in imaging and locating tumors, we can now simultaneously image and treat breast cancer metastasis using the same radionuclide."
Using animal models, researchers in Kotagiri's lab will test whether radionuclide light activation of tumor targeting, light-sensitive drugs will destroy metastatic cancer cells—including those that are resistant to traditional therapies.
"Since how we're killing the cells is not dependent on a certain molecular pathway, the technology could be applicable to treat a wide variety of breast cancers," he adds. "This has the potential to be a common image-guided treatment strategy to treat patients in early as well as advanced stages of the disease, and because of the safety of this treatment strategy, it could be effectively used alongside other treatments, like chemotherapy and immunotherapy, without the risk of additional side effects.
"This could tremendously benefit patients, as it could potentially improve therapeutic outcomes in addition to setting a precedent to tailor other FDA-approved light-sensitive drugs as radionuclide activated therapies, expanding the scope and range of the diseases these drugs currently treat. If proven beneficial, this treatment could be ready for a patient population in 5 to 10 years, since all the materials involved have already been used in humans—this could be an exciting breakthrough."
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04418856
Besides what Kotagiri said, severe fatigue, depression, sleep problems and cognitive impairment are the most commonly reported side effects of cancer treatment. These aversive side effects are hypothesized to be related to the disruption of circadian rhythms associated with cancer and its treatment. Exposure to Bright White Light (BWL) has been found to synchronize the circadian activity rhythms but research with cancer patients has been scarce. Therefore, the proposed randomized control trial (RCT) will test if systematic light exposure (sLE) will minimize overall levels of cancer-related fatigue (CRF), depression, sleep problems and cognitive impairment among breast cancer patients undergoing breast cancer treatment (i.e., surgery, chemotherapy). SLE incorporates the delivery of harmless UV-protected BWL or Dim White Light (DWL - standard comparison in light studies) delivered to patients by using special glasses for 30 minutes each morning, during their treatment.
Learn more about the how to improve your circadian rhythm and light therapy & breast feeding
