Investigation into the antinoticeptive effects of light-emitting diode radiation at a 470 nm wavelength

Pain is considered to be one of the major syndromes of a peripheral nerve lesion. The present experimental study was carried out to evaluate the influence of blue light on compression-ischemic neuropathy using a rat model. The neurochistological examination of an injured nerve following photochromotherapy with the use of a blue light revealed a reduction in the severity of the traumatic lesion expressed as a significantly decreased number of nerve filaments undergoing degenerative changes in the form of enhanced argentophilia. The clinical portion of the study was designed to evaluate effects of visible monochromatic blue light (with a mean wavelength of 470 nm) on the clinical characteristics of neuropathic pain syndrome in 47 patients presenting with compression-ischemic and traumatic neuropathies. The psychopathological examination using a four point visual-analog scale of pain, the neuropathic pain diagnostic questionnaire (DN4), and the SF-36 Health Status Survey questionnaire has demonstrated a 2-3 fold faster elimination of neurologic signs and symptoms, reduced severity of pain, and the improved quality of life in the treated patents compared with control ones.

pain, neuropathy, nerve lesion, photochromotherapy, blue light, experimental and clinical study