Green Light Relieves Arthritis Pain
- Thomas P Seager, PhD
- 19 hours ago
- 2 min read
Canadian study reports pain relief without drugs
Summary
Dozens of patients recruited to a new study in Halifax, Nova Scotia reported a significant reduction in arthritis pain scores after using narrowband green LEDs as an ambient light therapy for an average of 73 minutes a day.
Millions of People With Arthritis Take Dangerous Drugs to Relieve Pain
Arthritis is one of the most important reasons why people will take pain relief drugs. They don't necessarily want to. The drugs don't cure the arthritis, they just relieve the pain.
Some people feel it so bad that they take steroids or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSIAD) every day in an attempt to manage the pain -- but both classes of medication come with serious risks, so most people would rather not have to take these drugs at all.
Green Light Provides Arthritis Pain Relief Without Drugs
Researcher in Halifax, Nova Scotia enrolled people with moderate to severe osteoarthritis in a new study of green light therapy. They adapted protocols established at the University of Arizona for treating migraine pain, and purchased green LED party light strips from online suppliers. They blacked out every other LED with electrical tape so that the lights wouldn't be too bright and told the arthritis patients to use the strips as ambient light.
Those subjects spent an average of 73 minutes a day in rooms lit by these green LED decorations and they reported a significant reduction in arthritis pain, compared to white light controls. Moreover, the pain reductions improved over time, so that two months of daily green light treatment was sufficient to cut one measure of pain in half without medications.
References
O’Brien MS, Amey S, DeBow C, Mukhida K, McDougall JJ. Ambient green light reduces knee pain in osteoarthritis patients. Canadian Journal of Pain. 2026 Dec 31;10(1):2598285.
About the Author
Thomas P Seager, PhD is an Associate Professor in the School of Sustainable Engineering at Arizona State University. He is the founder of MyGreen Lamp, LLC and principal inventor of MyGreen products, and CEO of the Morozko Forge ice bath company.
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