| Light therapy or phototherapy is an alternative | | | | observed with light therapy. These include headache, |
| treatment based on light exposure for various | | | | sweating, eyestrain, nausea, and agitation. More |
| disorders. This procedure, which is also called light box | | | | extreme and adverse effects include skin damage, |
| therapy, involves the use of light brighter than regular | | | | eye cancer and skin and genital cancer. Some patients |
| indoor lighting, but significantly less bright than sunlight. | | | | have also reported difficulty in falling asleep, although |
| 1. What Can Light Therapy Cure? | | | | these are mostly individuals having the treatment |
| - Psoriasis | | | | towards the end of the day. Relief from insomnia is |
| - Hyperbilirubinemia | | | | achieved mainly by reducing light exposure time and |
| - Atopic dermatitis | | | | having the therapy earlier in the day, or by applying |
| - Other skin disorders | | | | dawn simulation. The therapy is not advisable for |
| - Sleep disturbance | | | | individuals with sensitive skin and eyes. |
| - Premenstrual syndrome | | | | 4. Light Booth Studies - Does This Actually Work? |
| - Mental disorders | | | | Light boxes, ultra violet booths, commercial tanning |
| - Schizoaffective | | | | beds and related equipment also pose the question of |
| - Bipolar disorders | | | | cost. If the doctor being consulted has these |
| 2. Treatment | | | | equipment in the clinic, the problem would be more of a |
| Under the treatment, patients are exposed directly to | | | | time issue, or ensuring daily or regular visits. Some |
| full-spectrum bright light. The patient either sits down, if | | | | companies have light therapy equipment for rent, |
| a light box is used as the source, or has some degree | | | | although insurance coverage may not include these as |
| of mobility if a light visor is used. The duration of the | | | | part of the treatment. Psychiatric research from the |
| exposure depends on the seriousness of the condition, | | | | Chapel Hill School of Medicine at the University of |
| reduction or elimination of the symptoms and light | | | | North Carolina has found comparable results between |
| strength. Depression is one condition that is eliminated | | | | phototherapy, or light therapy, and antidepressant drug |
| through the therapy. The affected individual's biological | | | | therapy in the treatment of SAD and other mood |
| clock, or the natural course of one's waking and | | | | disorders. The 2005 study applied systematic statistical |
| sleeping hours, is gradually normalized following light | | | | analysis to earlier clinical literature covering 20 |
| therapy. The process involves gradually increasing the | | | | randomized studies. These studies focused on 18- to |
| time exposed to a high-intensity fluorescent lamp from | | | | 65-year-old adults who exhibited mood disorder and |
| about 30 minutes up to about 2 hours every morning - | | | | were grouped into four treatment classes: bright light |
| the time when the therapy is said to be most | | | | for non-seasonal depression, bright light for SAD, |
| effective. Seasonal affective disorder is a type of | | | | integrated bright light-regular antidepressant use for |
| depression caused by the absence of or limited | | | | non=seasonal sufferers and dawn simulation. |
| exposure to sunlight during fall and winter. The use of | | | | Scientists found that the elimination of methodologically |
| light therapy has been cited by up to 90% of individuals | | | | flawed studies from the controlled set and |
| with SAD as helpful in making them feel better, | | | | meta-analysis of the remaining organized material |
| possibly because the treatment takes the place of | | | | established the efficacy of light therapy for SAD and |
| sunlight exposure. SAD symptoms could take as long | | | | depression. UNC psychiatry chairman Dr. Robert |
| as three weeks before they are relieved through the | | | | Golden, who is also vice dean of the UNC medical |
| therapy. | | | | school, noted that light therapy intervention delivered |
| 3. Not A Replacement For Traditional Care | | | | results comparable to traditional depression treatments |
| Although the treatment is safe, most experts do not | | | | as detailed in medical literature. Although the scientists |
| see light therapy as a replacement to traditional | | | | concluded that light therapy is an effective treatment |
| medical care. However, the approach is considered a | | | | for SAD and non-seasonal disorders, they emphasized |
| good complement to other therapies. Patients should | | | | that the research did not establish the treatment's |
| visit their health practitioner if treatment fails to | | | | safety and/or negative side effects because of limited |
| eliminate symptoms of depression, or specially if they | | | | related data. Researchers also did not look at the |
| worsen, following an extended period of time. As with | | | | effects of light therapy on the aged, children and |
| regular therapy, some side effects have also been | | | | adolescents. |