This nitric oxide is amazing–it rushes to help rebuild your tissues after injury, but it can get too enthusiastic. Just read this in a press release from a company called LymphaCare (good, descriptive name…kind of like BioMedNews) that’s making a more effective–and cheaper–way to deliver “non-visible and visible infrared light energy to promote regeneration and revascularization of damaged capillaries by releasing excess nitric oxide [emphasis added]from cells.
The system uses a combination of lights because each type penetrates the skin to different depths. Visible light helps heal infections as it reaches problems near the surface like wounds, cuts, scars, “trigger points, and acupuncture points.” I’m putting quotes around that because it’s key to realize that the concepts of Eastern “that-stuff’s-only-for-weirdos” medicine is creeping its stealthy way into the everyday language of Western professionals.
This reminds me of the way the Catholic Church announced one day that “a sin” it had been condemning people to hell for for generations (eating meat on Friday) was no longer a sin–and offered nothing in the way of explanation or apology. Oh, well, it’s okay. At least this marriage is coming off, no matter that we may choose not to acknowledge it.
The other light, the Invisible Infrared light, goes deeper and helps heal bones, joints, deep muscles, etc. in the same way as the visible light.
It makes sense that light would heal–look how we feel to walk out into a sun-drenched day, especially after a few days of cloudy weather (let alone we midwesterners, after weeks of the gray, rainy stuff). And isn’t it strange–and wonderful–that now we know one of the reaasons: ’cause nitric oxide responds to it, too.