Light Therapy The Facts

Light Therapy The Facts Light Therapy The use of light, especially ultraviolet light, to treat medical conditions. Medical uses of light therapy Skin Conditions Mood Conditions Jaundice in Babies Light therapy used mainly for Psoriasis Light therapy used mainly for SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) Light therapy used to help this temporary condition Targeted Phototherapy Non-Targeted Phototherapy For some people with SAD, light therapy can help improve their mood considerably. Ultraviolet light reduces inflammation of the skin - although it can cause skin conditions to clear, this is usually temporary and not a This treatment involves sitting in front of or beneath a light box. These special lamps produce a very bright light- the higher lux, the brighter the light. Some jaundice will disappear within a week or two without treatment. Other babies will require treatment because of the severity of the jaundice, the cause of the jaundice, or how old the baby is when jaundice appears. cure. Ultraviolet treatments are usually given in a hospital outpatient department, two to five times a week, in a walk-in cabinet containing fluorescent light bulbs. Make sure that you choose a light box that is medically proven to treat SAD and produced by a fully certified manufacturer. Phototherapy uses light to eliminate bilirubin in the blood. Your baby's skin and blood absorb these light waves. SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that has a seasonal pattern. In most cases the symptoms of SAD begin to improve in the spring before eventually disappearing. The episodes of depression tend to occur at the same time each year, usually during the winter. The symptoms often begin in the autumn as the days start getting shorter. They're most severe during December, January and February. As with other types of depression, the two main symptoms of SAD are a low mood and a lack of interest in life. You may also be less active than normal and sleep more. SAD is sometimes known as "winter depression" because the symptoms are more apparent and tend to be more severe at this time of the year. Lightboxes For Medical Use Treatment consists simply of sitting close to the light box, with lights on and eyes open. Looking at the lights is not recommended. What is important is to orient the head and body toward the lights. Treatment sessions can last from 15 minutes to three hours, once or twice a day, depending on individual needs and equipment used. The average length of a session for a system delivering 10,000 lux illumination is much shorter than for 2,500 lux (30 minutes vs. two hours). For 20% of people with SAD the condition goes away within a couple of years, with treatment 3-6% 4X More Of people in the UK will experience SAD in their Lives Women are affected with SAD than men 20-30 Year Olds Light Therapy Works Research undertaken by the American Journal of Psychiatry showed that light therapy for SAD provides a large effect on the condition - showing that light therapy works Are more susceptible to SAD Sponsored By www.lightboxuk.net Suppliers of a of range lightboxes for medical, art and advertising use Piktochart I moake information beautiful