Green Light Therapy for Chronic Pain

Overseen By Virginia Ellis

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Arizona

Disqualifiers: Serious mental illness, Color blindness, others

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 5

Duration: 10 weeks

70 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial uses green light exposure to help reduce pain in patients with fibromyalgia and migraines. The green light likely works by decreasing brain inflammation and altering pain signals. Green light exposure has been shown to reduce headache days and improve quality of life in migraine patients without adverse events.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial protocol does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. However, since the trial is for those whose medical therapy has failed to control their pain, it might be possible to continue your current medications. Please confirm with the trial coordinators.

Is green light therapy safe for humans?

Research suggests that green light therapy is generally safe for humans. Studies have shown it to be a noninvasive treatment with no reported side effects in both humans and animal models, making it a promising option for managing chronic pain. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How does green light therapy differ from other treatments for chronic pain?

Green light therapy is unique because it is a non-drug treatment that uses light exposure to reduce chronic pain by increasing natural opioid levels in the body and reducing inflammation. Unlike traditional pain medications, it does not have the side effects associated with drugs and can be easily implemented in clinical settings. ^{1 2 4 5 6}

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Green Light Therapy for chronic pain?

Research shows that green light therapy can reduce chronic pain by increasing natural pain-relieving chemicals in the body and reducing inflammation. In a study, participants experienced significant pain relief after a single session of green light therapy, with most reporting a 30% or more reduction in pain. ^{1 2 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Mohab M Ibrahim, PhD., MD

Principal Investigator

University of Arizona

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adults over 18 who speak English, have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia according to specific criteria, and experience chronic pain rated at least 5 out of 10 despite medical treatment. People with serious mental illness, color blindness, uncorrected cataracts or those paid for their condition are excluded.

Inclusion Criteria

My average pain level is 5 or more out of 10, and medications haven't helped.

My average pain level is 5 or more out of 10, and treatments haven't helped.

I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia according to the latest criteria.

Exclusion Criteria

You are getting paid for your medical condition.

You have a history of color blindness or have not had your cataracts corrected.

You have a serious mental illness that causes you to have trouble telling what's real and what's not, or may lead to unusual behaviors.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 days

1 visit (in-person)

Baseline Assessment

Collection of baseline Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire survey, thermal and mechanical pain detection and tolerance threshold, conditioned pain modulation, cerebrospinal fluid, and PET scan for microglia baseline activity

1-2 days

1 visit (in-person)

Treatment

Participants receive either GLED or WLED exposure for 2 hours a day over 10 weeks

10 weeks

Follow-up calls every 2 weeks

Follow-up

Final assessment of Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire survey, thermal and mechanical pain detection and tolerance threshold, conditioned pain modulation, cerebrospinal fluid, and PET scan

1-2 days

1 visit (in-person)

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Green Light

Trial Overview The study tests Green Light Therapy (GLED) as a potential treatment for fibromyalgia and chronic pain. It aims to understand how GLED might reduce pain by affecting the brain's processing of pain signals. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either GLED or a placebo in a controlled environment.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Green light-emitting diode (GLED) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Subjects randomized to this arm will be exposed to GLED 2 hours a day for 10 weeks

Group II: White light-emitting diode (WLED) Placebo Group 1 Intervention

Subjects randomized to this arm will be exposed to WLED 2 hours a day for 10 weeks

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Arizona

Lead Sponsor

Trials

545

Recruited

161,000+

Banner Alzheimer's Institute

Collaborator

Trials

9

Recruited

3,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Green light therapy has been shown to effectively reduce postsurgical pain in rats, suggesting its potential as a non-pharmacological pain management option that could minimize opioid use.

The therapy enhances the pain-relieving effects of morphine and ibuprofen, particularly increasing endogenous opioid levels and reducing neuroinflammation, which could lead to improved pain control in clinical settings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Green Light Exposure Elicits Anti-inflammation, Endogenous Opioid Release and Dampens Synaptic Potentiation to Relieve Post-surgical Pain. Martin, LF., Cheng, K., Washington, SM., et al.[2023]

In a clinical trial involving 43 participants, low-level laser therapy using green and violet wavelengths significantly reduced chronic musculoskeletal pain, with visual analog pain scores dropping from 71.79 to 34.02 just three minutes after treatment (p < 0.0001).

A remarkable 81.4% of participants experienced a reduction of 30% or more in their pain scores, supporting the efficacy of this therapy and leading to the first FDA clearance for the combined use of these laser wavelengths.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Assessing the Impact of High Photon Energy Wavelengths on the Treatment of Chronic Neck and Shoulder Pain. Sammons, T., Gair, K., Silverman, RG., et al.[2023]

Phototherapy, particularly using red light (660 nm), can effectively reduce pain in conditions like neuropathies and complex regional pain syndrome-I, but visual exposure to the same wavelength may worsen migraines.

Green light exposure has been shown to alleviate pain in various conditions, including migraines and fibromyalgia, highlighting the importance of light color and exposure method in pain management.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mechanisms and Pathways of Pain Photobiomodulation: A Narrative Review. Cheng, K., Martin, LF., Slepian, MJ., et al.[2023]

Citations

1. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Morning Bright Light Treatment for Chronic Low Back Pain: Potential Impact on the Volatility of Pain, Mood, Function, and Sleep. [2022]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Green Light Exposure Elicits Anti-inflammation, Endogenous Opioid Release and Dampens Synaptic Potentiation to Relieve Post-surgical Pain. [2023]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Assessing the Impact of High Photon Energy Wavelengths on the Treatment of Chronic Neck and Shoulder Pain. [2023]

4. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Short-term effects of bright light therapy in adults with chronic nonspecific back pain: a randomized controlled trial. [2015]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Use of Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) For Musculoskeletal Pain. [2022]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluation of green light exposure on headache frequency and quality of life in migraine patients: A preliminary one-way cross-over clinical trial. [2022]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Long-lasting antinociceptive effects of green light in acute and chronic pain in rats. [2021]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Green Light Antinociceptive and Reversal of Thermal and Mechanical Hypersensitivity Effects Rely on Endogenous Opioid System Stimulation. [2022]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mechanisms and Pathways of Pain Photobiomodulation: A Narrative Review. [2023]