By: Dr. Olivia Jones, PT, DPT
First of all, what is Endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the uterine lining begins to grow outside of the uterus and into the abdominal space. This can result in symptoms such as pelvic pain, painful menstruation, and infertility. Endometriosis often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for years leaving patients confused and with continued symptoms without any answers. This can cause patients to feel lost in their treatment and unsure on what to do next! Treatment for endometriosis often includes hormonal birth control, steroids, or surgery targeted to remove endometrial tissue or in some cases a hysterectomy. Although there are some treatments that have been found to decrease symptoms, there is currently no cure for endometriosis. Oftentimes patients may be receiving these treatments but may still be experiencing continued symptoms and discomfort. Conservative treatments such as pelvic floor physical therapy, acupuncture, massage, and red light therapy have been considered useful in combination with standard treatment to further improve symptoms and overall pain management.
Red Light Therapy and Endometriosis
Red light laser therapy is a therapeutic modality used for many conditions that include therapeutic properties such as decreasing inflammation, accelerated tissue repair and cell growth, improved vascular and metabolic activity, improved nerve function, reduced fibrous tissue formation, and faster wound healing. Red light laser therapy functions to stimulate metabolic processes in the body at a cellular level and when used as a therapeutic modality can facilitate faster recoveries from injuries and improve overall recovery. The use of red light therapy for treatment of endometriosis and accompanying symptoms such as abdominal pain, cramping, and fibrous tissue formation has been found to be beneficial as research for endometriosis treatment continues to be conducted. The treatment protocol of red light therapy has varied between studies, however patients found success when receiving treatment between 1-3 times per week for 4-8 weeks. Improvements in pain, inflammation, and wound healing has been determined from the use of red light therapy and may be a beneficial form of therapy to include alongside other determined treatments. Continued research on the use of red light therapy for endometriosis and other gynecological conditions such as pelvic pain and fertility concerns continues to be conducted as awareness grows for conservative treatments!
How Do I Start?
Different forms of laser and red light therapy may be found in health practitioner offices. Look into a local physical therapy clinic who offers Class IV laser and/or red light therapy to get started! We offer free "demo" sessions of our Class IV laser at both clinics and to first-time laser patients, so ask us about that! Request to schedule your free laser demo here: https://www.thegrpt.com/events-and-offers And for a limited time, we are also offering 3 free Theralight (full body red light therapy) sessions at our Troy office. You can get yourself scheduled right away with the link here: https://www.thegrpt.com/theralight
References:
Thabet, A. A. E. M., & Alshehri, M. A. (2018). Effect of pulsed high-intensity laser therapy on pain, adhesions, and quality of life in women having endometriosis: a randomized controlled trial. Photomedicine and laser surgery, 36(7), 363-369.
Phypers R, Berisha-Muharremi V, Hanna R. The Efficacy of Multiwavelength Red and Near-Infrared Transdermal Photobiomodulation Light Therapy in Enhancing Female Fertility Outcomes and Improving Reproductive Health: A Prospective Case Series with 9-Month Follow-Up. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2024; 13(23):7101. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13237101
Mayo Clinic. Endometriosis. Mayo Clinic. August 2024. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/endometriosis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20354661#:~:text=Treatment%20for%20endometriosis%20often%20involves,enough%2C%20surgery%20becomes%20an%20option..
Smith, F.. Endometriosis and Red Light Therapy. Kineon: Women's Health Blog. 2025. Retrieved from https://kineon.io/blogs/news/endometriosis-red-light-therapy.
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