by
Alyson Evans, Genevieve Newton and Liz Frey
Light therapy (including red, near infrared, and blue light) has been studied for a range of uses related to female pelvic health. A wide range of benefits have been observed for common menopausal, perimenopausal and postpartum conditions including incontinence, prolapse, tissue dryness, tissue atrophy, pelvic pain, and episiotomy recovery. There is also a growing list of pelvic health conditions spanning a womens lifetime that show clinical and scientific support for the use of light therapy, including endometriosis, PCOS, PMS, dyspareunia, interstitial cystitis, bladder pain syndrome and microbial conditions such as candida and bacterial vaginosis. Despite its recent popularity, light therapy has close to a 100 year history of scientific research and development in healthcare. While early research on light therapy used primarily lasers, more recent research has found that LEDs can also be used, improving the accessibility and safety of light therapy for the pelvic health patient. The use of LEDs in red/near infrared/blue light therapy devices has also greatly reduced the cost of treatment, making it a valuable tool in a home care program. Both laser and LED lights have been used in research and practice to support pelvic health.This course will review mechanisms for light therapy for its most evidence-based uses in pelvic health, including reducing pain and inflammation, improving circulation, tissue regeneration, muscle tone regulation, and effects on the vaginal mic...