Can Light Therapy Help People Overcome Opioid Addiction?
Possibly, but the evidence is very early. In this case series of 42 consecutive patients with opioid use disorder from one psychiatrist’s practice, he judged that most responded well to unilateral transcranial photobiomodulation added to their usual treatment. These were his own subjective observations, without a control group.
Red light therapy, also known as low-level laser therapy (LLLT) or photobiomodulation (PBM), uses specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light to promote healing and reduce inflammation.
Opioid use disorders cause enormous suffering to individuals, families, and communities. Available treatments are limited, and many patients continue to struggle even with medication-assisted therapy and counseling. This paper presents a novel approach: shining near-infrared light on one side of the brain to help reduce cravings and improve outcomes.
What the Research Shows
The author, Dr. Fredric Schiffer, presents a retrospective overview and four brief case reports from 42 consecutive patients with opioid use disorders. The treatment involved unilateral transcranial photobiomodulation (UtPBM) using near-infrared light, applied to the brain hemisphere with the more positive emotional state. This was used alongside the patients’ usual psychotherapy and medications. Two cases showed very positive responses, one showed a moderately positive response, and one was non-responsive. Across the 42 patients, the author’s subjective clinical impression was that 26 (62%) had strikingly beneficial responses, 8 (19%) had helpful but not remarkable responses, and 8 (19%) had no noticeable response. No side effects were reported apart from anxiety in 2 women, which resolved with psychotherapy.
Dr. Kumar’s Take
The opioid crisis is one of the most devastating health problems today. Any new tool that can help, even as a supplement to existing treatments, is worth investigating. The unusual part of this approach is targeting a specific brain hemisphere based on the patient’s emotional profile. The idea that PBM can modulate brain function in ways that reduce cravings is biologically plausible, given how light is thought to affect mitochondrial function. But these are one clinician’s impressions of his own patients, with no comparison group, so this is a lead worth testing in a controlled trial, not evidence that it works.
Practical Takeaways
- In this clinical series, the treating psychiatrist judged that most patients with opioid use disorders responded to transcranial PBM.
- The therapy was used as an adjunct to standard treatment, not as a standalone intervention.
- UtPBM is painless, noninvasive, and easily administered in a clinical setting.
- More research is needed, but these early results suggest PBM could become a valuable addition to addiction treatment.
FAQs
How does light therapy reduce opioid cravings?
The mechanism has not been established. PBM in general is thought to boost mitochondrial energy production in brain cells, and this approach aims the light at the hemisphere with the more positive emotional tone. Whether that reduces cravings still needs to be tested.
Is this a replacement for medication-assisted treatment?
No. In this case series, PBM was used alongside standard medications and psychotherapy. It is intended as an adjunct tool that may enhance the effectiveness of existing treatments, not replace them.
Was this a controlled trial?
No. This was a retrospective clinical case series, which is a lower level of evidence than a randomized controlled trial. The results are promising but preliminary. Larger, controlled studies are needed to establish the effectiveness of PBM for opioid use disorders.
Bottom Line
Transcranial red light therapy shows early promise as an adjunct therapy for opioid use disorders. In this uncontrolled case series, the treating psychiatrist judged that most of his 42 patients responded, though the evidence is preliminary and subjective. For a crisis with limited treatment options, PBM represents a novel, noninvasive approach that warrants further investigation.
