Red Light Therapy For Fibromyalgia: Incredible Pain Relief & Much More!

Today I'm talking about red light therapy for fibromyalgia. This topic is extremely exciting because I'm going to cover some really promising research from it through the years.

In this article, I cover all existing studies on light therapy for fibromyalgia. If you're time poor, just read my summary below. If you want the full details of my argument, read my full article.

Let's go:

Fibromyalgia: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment Options 

Let's consider the latest reviews on fibromyalgia. Reviews analyze and integrate previous studies on a given topic. I've selected scientific fibromyalgia reviews from the last five years (1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13).

Fibromyalgia Basics

A very recent review explains the basics of fibromyalgia exceptionally well:

"Fibromyalgia is a syndrome characterized by chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain, which may or may not be associated with muscle or joint stiffness, accompanied by other symptoms such as fatigue, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and depression. It is a highly prevalent condition globally, being considered the third most common musculoskeletal disorder, following lower back pain and osteoarthritis. It is more prevalent in women than in men, and although it can occur at any age, it is more common between the ages of thirty and thirty-five. Although the pathophysiology and etiopathogenesis remain largely unknown, three underlying processes in fibromyalgia have been investigated. These include central sensitization, associated with an increase in the release of both excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters; peripheral sensitization, involving alterations in peripheral nociceptor signaling; and inflammatory and immune mechanisms that develop concurrently with the aforementioned processes. Furthermore, it has been determined that genetic, endocrine, psychological, and sleep disorders may influence the development of this pathology." (1).

That paragraph almost makes my work too easy! Keep in mind that with lower back pain, too, there's not always a clear cause or physiological disturbance that can be pinpointed.

Fibromyalgia Treatment And Diagnosis

Nevertheless, pain is one of the main characteristics of fibromyalgia and sensitization of the nervous system plays a role therein. The condition is complex, however, and not a single treatment can be stipulated as best (1). As almost always in my articles, I'll be arguing in favor of a broad spectrum approach where light therapy is one of the interventions I recommend as part of a bigger toolbox.

Exercise helps, for instance, as does manual or physical therapy (1). Pharmacological interventions can also work–but, of course, can also have drawbacks (2). The bottom line is that there's no simple or easy answer. Even the entire disease of fibromyalgia has been considered a false construct in the past (2). I clearly remember because I was educated as a physical therapist in the early 2000s.

Nevertheless, here's what researchers write about the topic:

"The syndrome’s impact on quality of life is profound, affecting daily activities, sleep, cognitive function, and social interactions. Diagnosis has evolved from reliance on tender points to a more comprehensive assessment, emphasizing the widespread nature of pain and associated symptoms. The risk factors, including gender predominance, genetic predisposition, and comorbid conditions, contribute to the complexity of fibromyalgia." (14)

Exercise, movement, managing stress, and improving sleep hygiene all have an effect on fibromyalgia (3; 5; 14). Psychological interventions such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can also help (14). Combining several therapies likely has the best outcome (4; 5).

From a broader perspective, fibromyalgia and its symptoms are affected by many variables (6). Examples here are air pollutants, EMFs, (childhood) traumas, infections, stress, and so forth!

Why Fibromyalgia Matters

Fibromyalgia is not a super rare condition as up to a whopping 5% of the world's population is affected (7)! Around 80 - 96% of fibromyalgia patients are women (7).

As for age, diagnosis often starts in the 30s. You'll generally have to wait a few years for that diagnosis, however, as the symptoms overlap with other health conditions.

The pain also increases the risk for mood and sleep disorders (15). And the combination of pain and poor sleep can also create cognitive impairments down the road. There's also a link between fibromyalgia and anxiety and depression - which is fully understandable if you're in almost constant pain (16)! In many cases, fibromyalgia leads to less active or the inability for labor participation (17).

No bueno!

Fibromyalgia Treatments Are Quickly Evolving

But there's good news as well! The decentralized web connects fibromyalgia patients and allows them to communicate about management and treatment options.

Here's what researchers wrote about these developments in a 2023 review - with a new emphasis on

"the role of inflammation, gut dysbiosis, and neuroinflammation, and possible treatment options, including medications such as antioxidants and kinin antagonists, neurostimulation, and mind-body interventions. Although ketamine, vitamin D, and hormone therapy have shown promise in reducing [Fibromyalgia] symptoms, further research is needed to optimise their use. Neurostimulation techniques, such as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, transcranial direct-current stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation, have been investigated in terms of their efficacy in reducing pain and improving the quality of life. Finally, the role of nutrition is discussed as study findings suggest that weight control, modified high-antioxidant diets, and nutritional supplementation can help to alleviate the symptoms of [Fibromyalgia]." (9)

The 2024 update of that review explores the physiological underpinnings of fibromyalgia in more detail (10). So the science on this topic is developing rapidly!

Nutrition And Supplements For Fibromyalgia

Although not necessarily the topic of my article, I recommend checking the role of nutrition and supplements for fibromyalgia (11; 12; 13). On nutrition and supplements, a recent review writes:

"In total these studies investigated 17 different nutritional interventions. Significant improvements in reported pain were observed for those following a vegan diet, as well as with the low fermentable oligo di-mono-saccharides and polyols (FODMAP) diets. Supplementation with Chlorella green algae, coenzyme Q10, acetyl-l-carnitine or a combination of vitamin C and E significantly improved measures of pain." (11)

Another review states that:

"Various nutritional interventions, including vitamin D, magnesium, iron, and probiotics supplementation, have shown potential in reducing [Fibromyalgia] symptoms, such as chronic pain, anxiety, depression, cognitive dysfunction, sleep disturbances, and gastrointestinal issues. Additionally, weight loss has been associated with reduced inflammation and improved quality of life in FM patients. The review highlights the anti-inflammatory benefits of plant-based diets and the low-FODMAPs diet, which have shown promise in managing [Fibromyalgia] symptoms and related gastrointestinal disorders. Supplements such as vitamin D, magnesium, vitamin B12, coenzyme Q10, probiotics, omega-3 fatty acids, melatonin, S-adenosylmethionine, and acetyl-L-carnitine are discussed for their potential benefits in [Fibromyalgia] management through various mechanisms, including anti-inflammatory effects, modulation of neurotransmitters, and improvement of mitochondrial function." (12)

I don't want to be too dogmatic here - do for you what works. But if you're following a Standard American Diet (SAD) or similar, it's time to clean up for some easy gains if you've got fibromyalgia! As with almost any chronic disease - especially ones that aren't purely genetic in nature - lifestyle and nutrition can have a massive impact on the condition.

Next up, let's consider what red light therapy is - after that I'll tell you why you'll want to add it to your Fibromyalgia treatment protocol:

What Is Red Light Therapy?

So, I'll quickly cover the red light therapy basics. If you want to learn more, just read my what is red light therapy guide, or how to use red light therapy. At its core, red light therapy is a non-invasive treatment that uses red and near-infrared light to upgrade your health.

The light enters your body for up to several inches at the maximum and then influences you at the cellular level. With lower inflammation and oxidative stress, energy levels increase. And with energy as the main "currency" of your cell, almost any process may improve.

For instance, many people experience red light therapy benefits such as enhanced skin, nail and hair health, better blood circulation, greater energy levels, deeper sleep and recovery at night, improvements in athletic performance, a boost in cognition, and more. There's also evidence that your risk and management of many chronic health conditions is enhanced, such as heart and blood vessel, metabolic (type II diabetes), neurodegenerative health, and more! Pain, wound healing, and many other areas of health are also affected.

Red light therapy side effects are extremely rare, especially with proper use. Follow the manual for proper use or read about red light therapy dosing. But at its core, red light therapy is straightforward: you shine red and near-infrared light at tissue for minutes a day, and healing processes and health are generally promoted. Reality is more complex and nuanced than that, however, but the oversimplified picture is great for general understanding.

Now, I'll give you full nuance regarding red light therapy for fibromyalgia - what it does, what it doesn't, and what you can expect:

What Are The Key Benefits Of Light Therapy For Fibromyalgia?

So here's a summary of the studies I'll take a deep dive into below! I went through all available human studies on light therapy for fibromyalgia. Light therapy for fibromyalgia has the following benefits:

• Less fibromyalgia symptoms overall
• Lower pain, both overall in the body and the Fibromyalgia tender points
• Lower tenderness and stiffness
• Less fatigue
• Fewer sleep disturbances
• Less depression and anxiety and improved quality of life.

The studies use tons of different wavelengths in the red and near-infrared light spectrum. Some of the studies also use full spectrum near-infrared light, ranging from the 780 nm range all the way to the 1,400 nm. These studies show promising results.

The best results, in my opinion, by far, are achieved by full-body red light therapy for fibromyalgia. Many studies use the NovoTHOR bed here, with incredible results across the board. The NovoTHOR device emits 660 and 850 nm light and a session lasts 20 minutes. I've tried that NovoTHOR myself and it's incredbile.

Some other studies use higher-powered light therapy, usually with lasers, to the Fibromyalgia points across the body. These studies show promising effects, but you'll have to use higher doses here, of up to around 130 J/cm2. Studies with very low doses, such as 2 J/cm2, don't show great results in this case! And a few studies report no significant impact, often due to lower dosages.

Lastly, sometimes light therapy and aerobic exercise are combined, showing enhanced effects. However, studies with lower dosages or improper application methods tend to show minimal or no improvement. Overall, the benefits of red light therapy for fibromyalgia seem incredible, although more research is needed!

The Role Of Red Light Therapy In Fibromyalgia Management

Right now, there are 26 different studies on red light therapy for fibromyalgia (18). All of these are human studies or reviews based on earlier human studies. So I don't have to go through animal-based research in this case! I'll consider the most recent reviews, and all of the individual human studies.

Human Studies

First up, the human studies - let's see what conclusions I draw going through all the data here:

• First, there's a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) with a 1,064 nm high-intensity laser (19). There were improvements across the RFIQ (Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, overall pain intensity, the amount of pain at Fibromyalgic pressure points, and quality of life. So far so good!
• Secondly, there's another RCT study with 808 nm light (20). The study participants were split among a placebo, aerobic exercise, light therapy, and light therapy + aerobic exercise group. All groups improved pain and quality of life. The light therapy was applied locally but the dosing is harder to reconstruct exactly. There were two weekly sessions over a period of 12 weeks.
• Another study investigated whole-body light therapy using a NovoTHOR device (21; 22). The outcome is qualitative, however, and thus ventures into the personal lived experience of the participants (22). That NovoTHOR emits 660 and 850 nm, and I've tested that device myself at PBM 2024. The results of the study are quite breathtaking, to be honest, with amazing outcomes for the participants. Here are some examples that you can read, starting with pain (22):

And secondly, on mood (22):

Thidly, here's what participants say about sleep quality (22):

• So, these are life-changing results for many people using the NovoTHOR (22). The problem here is that the full-body device is very tough to afford - more on that later.
• Next up, an RCT study uses 630, 850, and 905 nm light (23). Treatment occurred three times weekly for three weeks. The light was applied to a 30 cm2 (roughly 12 inches squared) area. Here's the outcome:

"A decrease in the degree-of-pain rating was observed in patients allocated to the PBMT-sMF group, decreasing the number of tender points when compared to placebo group at the end of treatment (P<0.0001) and at the follow-up assessment (P<0.0001). Patients did not report any adverse events." (23)

• The study did combine a static magnetic field with red light therapy, however, so the effect isn't purely attributable to the latter.
• Then, another study RCT using the NovoTHOR at 660 and 850 nm (24). The total dose you'll be getting is 33.6 J/cm2 across the entire body. Here's the dramatic outcome, once again, with the NovoTHOR:

"Positive changes were observed for FM-specific quality of life, pain, tenderness, stiffness, fatigue, sleep disturbance, anxiety, depression and cognitive impairment. Patient global assessment revealed improvements at 6 weeks, with continued effect at 24 weeks. FM-specific quality of life at 24 weeks remained improved compared with baseline scores. " (24).

• I recommend checking out Figure 6 here, of the full study text, where you can see the graphs of declining pain scores, stiffness, etc (25).
• Another study uses a different dosing method than LEDs to expose the body to near-infrared light for fibromyalgia, including hyperthermia (overheating) (26). There were six treatments over 2 weeks. There were better pain conditions for the fibromyalgia group, even after 30 weeks.
• Then, another 660 and 850 nm wavelength NovoTHOR study - so a whole body exposure bed (27). Pain and quality of life improved here. Here you can see the amount of pain experienced over time (28):

• And, quality of life in the treatment group becomes much, much higher - please note the Y-axis that moves up and is more challenging to read (28):

• Similarly, almost mind-boggling improvements can be found in leisure physical activity, kinsiophobia (fear of movement, because it may result in more pain), and self-efficacy over time. Twelve red light therapy sessions alone accomplished this, which is incredible!
• Another study measures some other outcomes in people with Fibromyalgia, such as daily variations in blood pressure and more (29):

"Circadian variations in [blood pressure] showed significant differences after the [red light therapy] intervention (p = 0.036). When comparing [pain pressure threshold] between groups, statistically significant differences were found in the occiput (p = 0.039), low cervical (p = 0.035), trapezius (p = 0.037), second rib (p < 0.001) and medial epicondyle points (p = 0.006). Furthermore, there were statistically significant differences in both the trapezius and the forearm at the distal dorsal third SEL values (p ≤ 0.001) when comparing groups. Whole-body [red light therapy] produces changes in circadian blood pressure, the pain pressure threshold and the elasticity of tissue after a treatment program was carried out."

• Circadian here signifies your "circadian rhythm", the circa-24-hour day and night cycle of your body that responds mainly to light stimuli (in the eye and on the skin). The outcome is less beneficial than the quote above seems to imply, however, from a statistical standpoint.
• Then there's a 840 nm study that doesn't really show the detail necessary to reconstruct the treatment protocol (30). The study concludes that red light therapy doesn't improve muscle strength for people with fibromyalgia.
• An 808 nm study uses a whopping 132 J/cm2 dose to Fibromyalgia pressure points on the legs - although remember that the treatment area will be small here (31). The red light and non-red light therapy groups then followed an exercise program for eight weeks, but the light therapy applications didn't lead to improvements.
• In a case study with just one participant, where a 1,275 nm laser was applied around the spine, hip, and shoulder region, a higher dose led to dramatic results (32).
• One more study used 640, 875, and 905 nm for either an immediate effect or a 10-week study (33). The light was applied at 11 different sites of the body. There were also different light therapy and exercise groups and their combinations. Here's the outcome:

"[Short term effects: pain threshold was improved with the phototherapy, and [exercise therapy] improved the pain threshold for temporomandibular joint (right and left body side) and occipital site (right body side). [Longer term effects]: there was improved pain threshold in several tender points with the phototherapy and [exercise therapy]. There was an overlap of therapies to reduce the tender point numbers, anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep, and difficulty sleeping on [Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and Research Diagnostic Criteria (RDC)] scores" (33)

• This is quite a decent outcome.
• A 670 nm study with spot treatment, at a whopping 670 mW/cm2 for 4 J/cm2 on 18 tender points, showed good improvements (34). Twelve treatments over 4 weeks were used. Both pain and activity levels improved. The aforementioned FIQ was used here - here's an example of some of the questions of the FIQ (35):

And (35):

• Another study used infrared light all the way from 760 nm to 1,400 nm (36). There's both a whole-body approach as hyperthermia (so heating). The study showed pain reduction and mental health improvement.
• An 810 and 980 nm with a very strong 10W laser study at around 10 J/cm2 shows improvements in both pain and upper body flexibility (37). There were 8 treatments over 4 weeks.
• One more study uses the entire 780 - 1,400 nm range across the entire body (38). There was a control group, a once per week, and twice per week treatment groups. The once-per-week treatment group improved most pain reduction, quality of life improvement, and depression levels reduction.
• A 905 nm study shows almost no treatment parameters but slight improvements (39).
• An 830 nm study with twice weekly treatments for five weeks and a 3 J/cm2 dose shows no effect (40). The light was applied at fibromyalgia tender points. The outcome is interesting because the higher doses applied to tender points do show great outcomes, but this very low 3 J/cm2 dose at the tender points doesn't.
• Then, one more 780 - 1,400 nm study used for both light treatment and hyperthermia (41). The overall pain, as well as that of the tender points, and quality of life all improved. The effect sizes - how strong the effect is - are moderate, so you get a decently strong effect!
• An 830 nm study applied 2 J/cm2 to Fibromyalgia tender points (42). The light therapy group here had improvements in the FIQ I listed above, total pain, and had overall improvements in the condition. There were five weekly treatments for two weeks.
• Then there's a 904 nm study comparing light therapy to medication (43). Both interventions had roughly equal outcomes!
• Another 904 nm study uses 2 J/cm2 at Fibromyalgia tender points (44). Here, muscle spasms, morning stiffness, pain, and the tender points improved.
• Lastly, an 830 nm study shows no effect of light therapy (45). The study mentions applying 4.5 - 22.5 J to the tender points but doesn't mention whether that's J/cm2, so dosing is hard to reconstruct. Nevertheless, again, this seems like a low-dosed application and may have failed to show an effect for that reason!

So, that's quite positive - this section! Let's now consider what the last few reviews state about fibromyalgia:

Most Recent Review Studies

I'll only include the last 3-5 reviews here because they are most likely to take most of the recent evidence into account. Many of the best studies I've quoted above were published in the 2022 - 2025 era - hence you'll also want a recent review here! And the science on fibromyalgia is evolving quickly, fortunately.

The downside is that the latest reviews on light therapy for fibromyalgia are from 2019 and earlier (46; 47; 48). So, these options aren't too useful. All three reviews are positive, although they state that more research is needed. One of the big problems mentioned in these reviews is the many different treatment protocols, as you can read from my list above (46; 47; 48)!

So I'll skip the section on reviews for now, as most of the best evidence isn't taken into account. Also, animal studies aren't available either here because the condition relies in part on subjective diagnosis.

Hence, next up:}

Best Practices: Dos And Don'ts

I mainly recommend bigger red light therapy setups that can treat larger areas of the body.

If you don't have the financial means, I would recommend a tabletop red light therapy panel or a wall panel. You can view some reviews on this topic by the founder of this website - Alex Fergus - below:

These tabletop panels will certainly help you treat parts of the body. But, for full body treatment, you'll have to move them around lots, making it very time-consuming to treat your full body. Next up, we've got the wall panels, which have up to 300 LEDs:

One or two of these panels allow for very decent treatment of bigger body parts. But, ultimately, if it's possible for you, the body panels are the best - which you can view here:

With one body panel, you can treat your entire body - you'll only have to switch around once!

With fibromyalgia, for these full body treatments, you'll want to start slowly though. And, you may need to start standing away at a further distance from the panel to reduce the intensity of the light. I'm saying that because the NovoTHOR that I described above also doesn't use very high power.

The best option here, because it's scientifically validated in a sense now, is the NovoTHOR, but that option costs more than $100K USD. You can view an interview of Alex with one of the Thor Lasers employees here:

Looking at the studies, also, treating yourself twice per week seems to be optimal - given the full-body approach!

Lastly, if you want to save money, consider a handheld red light therapy device and use it directly on the fibromyalgia points:

Make sure to find an anatomical model of the fibromyalgia points. And then treat these points, perhaps ideally with the handheld panel at the points, until you reach a higher dose at that point. Start slow, but I'd work up to even 50 - 60 J/cm2. You may even go higher but the problem is that the lasers used in the studies previously treat a far smaller area than the handheld panels. So there's some risk of overdoing the handheld treatment if you go too high in dose.

All of these options will work, however, but some will yield better results than others!

Comparing RLT With Other Treatments

I've already considered this topic in the introduction of my article. Yes, technically, you could compare red light therapy for fibromyalgia with other treatments. However, I don't think that's smart because there's no reason to limit yourself to one option, except if it's for financial or logistical reasons.

For instance, it's best to use red light therapy and improve your diet and optimize your sleep quality, and exercise at an intensity that doesn't increase symptoms. Etc!

Potential Risks And How To Avoid Them

The risk here is mainly of overdoing the red light therapy. And, a risk is not monitoring your results.

If you've got fibromyalgia, you'll probably have to go slow - especially at first. Hence, my recommendation for twice weekly full-body treatments aligns with the studies I've covered.

I know it's likely tempting to do treat yourself 6 times per week but that may lead to problems. If your symptoms increase, then you know you've overdone your red light therapy sessions.

Secondly, you'll have to monitor yourself and your symptoms. If you're not getting results, switch things up. Maybe you can use red light therapy 5 times per week and it even leads to better results than twice weekly.

Proper monitoring, however, also means that you don't change all your lifestyle interventions all at once. So, don't change your nutrition, and sleep optimization, and red light therapy at the same time because it becomes impossible to infer causality in that case.

For the best results, make one change at the time and observe what happens. If an intervention works, keep it in your routine and perhaps experiment with doing more of it. If doing more of that intervention leads to poorer results, then you know you've overdone things.

Simple!

Lastly, let's conclude:

Conclusion: Welcome To The Fibromyalgia Revolution!

So does anything help fibromyalgia? Yes, light therapy certainly seems to do so! And the best red light therapy for fibromyalgia focuses on high-intensity applications to the fibromyalgia trigger points, or on full-body red light therapy. The latter seems best and has life-changing results in many studies but is expensive!

Red light therapy has become one of the most hopeful alternative treatments for fibromyalgia! Likely we'll see lots of new research emerging here such as with the NovoTHOR studies.

And, please also experiment! Let your outcomes be known in our Facebook group that is free to sign up for here - and share your findings with others who have Fibromyalgia:

This is a post by Bart Wolbers of Lighttherapyinsiders. Bart finished degrees in Physical Therapy (B), Philosophy (BA and MA), Philosophy of Science and Technology (MS - with distinction), and Clinical Health Science (MS), has had training in functional medicine, and is currently chief science writer.

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