From Light to Healing: Photobiomodulation Therapy in Medical Applications (2025)

This review explores the growing role of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) in medicine, focusing on how light-based therapy supports healing, reduces inflammation, and promotes tissue regeneration. PBMT uses low-intensity red or near-infrared light to stimulate biological processes without causing tissue damage.

The article explains that PBMT mainly works by targeting cellular mitochondria, especially cytochrome c oxidase, which helps improve ATP production, regulate oxidative stress, and activate signaling pathways involved in repair and regeneration. These effects may enhance cell proliferation, reduce inflammation, improve blood circulation, and accelerate wound healing.

The review discusses broad clinical applications of PBMT, including wound healing, pain management, musculoskeletal disorders, neurological conditions, oral medicine, and tissue engineering. It also highlights that treatment outcomes depend heavily on factors such as wavelength, dose, irradiation time, and tissue depth.

Key takeaway: PBMT shows strong promise as a safe, non-invasive therapy across multiple medical fields, but standardized protocols and further clinical studies are still needed to optimize effectiveness and wider adoption.