Headaches can have a wide variety of triggers, from hormonal, genetic, and environmental, to emotional or neurological causes. The pain can be dull and mild, or sharp and stabbing, lasting for several minutes to several days. Current treatments can produce results that are just as variable. And with over 4 million people still suffering from chronic daily migraines, laser therapy can provide some hopeful relief.

Low level laser therapy (LLLT) has been shown to treat temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ), sinus headaches, cluster headaches, tension headaches, migraines, and cervicogenic headaches.  It does this by increasing local microcirculation, increasing the levels of serotonin in the blood (the body’s natural feel good chemical), releasing endogenous opioids (the body’s innate pain relieving system), and altering cholinesterase levels (the enzymes needed for proper functioning of the nervous system).

One study found that light therapy increases serotonin and blood flow in patients with TMJ syndrome. All patients reported pain relief, the average pain score decreasing from a 9.1 to a 3.3 (on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the most painful). The seratonin levels of the patients were found to be elevated even three days after each laser therapy treatment.

Another study concluded significant improvements in headache intensity, duration of attack, and median number of days of headache per month in 50 people with chronic tension headaches treated with LLLT. And lastly, another study showed a 39% improvement in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis after two weeks of LLLT treatment, and a 46.34% improvement after four weeks!