{"id":12375,"date":"2026-04-03T14:00:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T21:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.everywomanover29.com\/blog\/?p=12375"},"modified":"2026-04-06T13:54:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T20:54:19","slug":"red-light-therapy-for-back-and-neck-pain-plantar-fasciitis-and-low-mood-a-complement-to-the-amino-acids-gaba-dpa-and-tryptophan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.everywomanover29.com\/blog\/red-light-therapy-for-back-and-neck-pain-plantar-fasciitis-and-low-mood-a-complement-to-the-amino-acids-gaba-dpa-and-tryptophan\/","title":{"rendered":"Red light therapy for back and neck pain, plantar fasciitis and low mood – a complement to the amino acids GABA, DPA and tryptophan"},"content":{"rendered":"

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I had to share this with you about my experience with red light therapy. I do not have a Lumebox but purchased a larger device (Red Rush 400) over a year ago from Red Therapy Company after reading a recommendation from Ari Whitten. At the time, I had very painful plantar fasciitis with a heel spur on my left foot that did not respond to an injection.<\/p>\n

Because I walk 3-5 miles every day, it was breaking my heart not to be able to walk and I was desperate to find a solution. I placed the bottom of my feet 4-6 inches from the device 10 minutes a day. To my absolute amazement, I noticed the difference in just the first week of using the device and within 2 weeks I was back walking 3-5 miles!<\/p>\n

Because we sold our house and moved to Texas recently and are currently living in our 5th wheel RV (hoping to do some traveling) I had not been using my red light device. I developed a very bad pain in my neck and upper back recently (I have degenerative discs) that wouldn’t respond to NSAIDs for 2 weeks.<\/p>\n

So I got out my Red Rush 400 and after the first day I started noticing relief which would last about 2 hours. Encouraged, I kept it up 10 minutes a day on each side (front and back) twice a day and within a week the pain was gone. I am sooo amazed how well this works. I’m so grateful to have found this therapy.<\/p>\n

Thank you for all you do.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Katherine, a 72 year old woman in the community, sent me this wonderful red light feedback after one of my emails about the Lumebox red light device, and gave me permission to share her success story.<\/p>\n

Read on to learn about the research supporting red light therapy for pain, low mood and plantar fasciitis; the two red light devices I own and how I use them, plus the pros and cons of each; amino acids for pain relief and low mood: GABA, tryptophan and DPA; and additional resources if you need guidance using the amino acids.<\/p>\n

Red light therapy for pain relief<\/h2>\n

In case you\u2019re new to red light therapy (or RLT), it\u2019s also known as photobiomodulation (or PBM) or low level laser therapy (LLLT).<\/p>\n

This 2021 paper, Low-intensity LASER and LED (photobiomodulation therapy) for pain control of the most common musculoskeletal conditions<\/a> reports that<\/p>\n

There is evidence that photobiomodulation therapy reduces pain intensity in non-specific knee pain, osteoarthritis, pain post-total hip arthroplasty, fibromyalgia, temporomandibular diseases, neck pain, and low back pain.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In this updated paper they confirmed the benefits of red light therapy reporting:<\/p>\n

profound biological effects on tissue including increased cell proliferation, accelerating the healing process, promoting tissue regeneration, preventing cell death, anti-inflammatory activity and relief of pain<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

They also provide good reasons for using opioids at the \u201clowest effective dose for the shortest period possible<\/em>\u201d, i.e. adverse effects that include: \u201cpoor coordination, sedation, mood swings, depression, and anxiety combined with a dependence on the drugs.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Red light therapy for low back pain and a mood improvement<\/h2>\n

In a small study published in 2018, A case control series for the effect of photobiomodulation in patients with low back pain and concurrent depression<\/a>, the authors report that the participants saw a mood improvement while using red light therapy while doing physical therapy:<\/p>\n

This preliminary investigation suggests that an antidepressant effect may result from photobiomodulation (PBM) to the back and thighs in patients with low back pain and concurrent depression.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The authors mention a possible mechanism – NIR and red light used on \u201clarge areas of the skin<\/em>\u201d (like the back and the back of the thighs) \u201cmight significantly affect systemic processes such as a slow metabolism, inflammation, and oxidative stress.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

The paper also includes this statement about photobiomodulation being \u201can FDA-approved treatment for somatic pain \u2026based on the boosting of ATP production by near infra-red (NIR) or red light\u2026\u201d <\/em>due to mitochondrial support. They also share that \u201cdepression has been linked to a decreased level of mitochondrial respiration in blood platelets.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

The authors do acknowledge this was a preliminary finding but what is fascinating is that photobiomodulation may improve mood even when it\u2019s not used directly on the skull.<\/p>\n

They also call this a multi-modal approach for pain and low mood, which I fully support i.e. the use of red light therapy in conjunction with dietary changes, exercise, physical therapy, acupuncture and amino acids such as GABA, tryptophan, tyrosine and d-phenylalanine. They don\u2019t mention the amino acids but I share more about these below.<\/p>\n

Red light therapy for plantar fasciitis<\/h2>\n

A meta-analysis<\/a> presents evidence that red light\/photobiomodulation therapy \u201cis an effective treatment modality to reduce pain and improvement of foot function in adults with plantar fasciitis.<\/em>\u201d They do state that there is a broad discrepancy in the way studies are done for this condition – so you will also see some studies that state it doesn\u2019t help and that it may help pain but other approaches are needed too (which makes sense).<\/p>\n

My experience with the Red Rush 400 (panel)<\/h2>\n

I own the same red light panel – the Red Rush 400 – that Katherine used with success, and I love it. I use it primarily for back and neck pain too – I do 10 minutes at a time when I\u2019m having an issue and also after a weight session at the gym. I\u2019m also learning about the value of doing a daily session at least once a day for better skin health, energy improvement and better sleep.<\/p>\n

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What I love about this device:<\/p>\n