Best Red Light Therapy for Back Pain (Pads and Wraps) in 2023
My spondylolisthesis merged with arthritis to create a back pain flare-up. The first treatment the physical therapist gave me was low-level light therapy (red light therapy, or photobiomodulation). You can do the same therapy using a red light therapy wrap.
Wraps are some of the best red light therapy for back pain devices. They are large and you can put them right up against your body to absorb all the light they have to offer.
Here are my favorite wraps for back pain.
Best Large Area
Mito Red Light Therapy Belt
- Huge 1,215 LEDs per belt
- 21 x 5 in. treatment area covers a significant portion of your back per session
Best Cool Gadgets
Jazz Band Live
- red and infrared light therapy
- vibration therapy
- magnetic field therapy
Types of Back Pain that Red Light Therapy Can Help
I know I’m not the only one with a sore back. On any given day, about 65 million Americans experience some form of back pain, according to the Health Policy Institute at Georgetown University (source).
Mine comes from spondylolisthesis, a spinal fusion, arthritis, and stenosis. There are many other back pain causes, including those below.
- Overuse, poor posture, lifting heavy objects, and sudden twisting movements can cause ligament strains.
- A spinal disc is herniated when the soft center of protrudes through a tear in the outer layer. The “gel” puts pressure on nearby nerves.
- A narrowing of the spinal canal puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves in the spinal stenosis, which causes pain, numbness, and weakness.
- Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that can affect the back. I wrote a comprehensive guide to using red light therapy for knee osteoarthritis that you can view at this link: Red Light Therapy on Knee Replacements: How to Speed Surgery Healing
- Osteoporosis causes bones to become weak and brittle, increasing the risk of compression fractures in the spine.
- Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine that can cause back pain.
- Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition that can cause widespread muscle pain and fatigue, including in the back.
Types of Back Pain that Do Not Call for Red Light Therapy
Red light therapy is excellent for helping with muscle, bone, and ligament pain. But medical conditions such as kidney stones, infections, and cancer can cause back pain too. These are not soft tissue or bone problems.
If I had one of these diseases, I would ask a medical professional before starting photobiomodulation (red light therapy).
For kidney stones and infections, there’s no issue using red light therapy. The issue is that these problems call for a medical consultation.
And don’t use red light therapy with cancer unless directed by a doctor. This is because red light therapy is used to help with cancer treatment side effects, but it is also a method to promote cell proliferation. We don’t want cancer cell proliferation, so we don’t do red light therapy with cancer.
There is no evidence that red light therapy can cause cancer, but there is some evidence that it can exacerbate existing cancer. There’s a lot of debate about red light therapy and cancer that you can read in my article: What’s the Worst Thing About Red Light Therapy?
The 5 Best Red Light Therapy for Back Pain Wraps
NovaaLab Pad
The NovaaLab Novaa Light Pad is a quality budget pad best for back pain and also knee pain. It’s also the most popular red light therapy device on this website.
Overview
Pricing
NovaaLab runs frequent sales, you should be able to pick up the Pad for $299.90.
NovaaLab Pad Pros
NovaaLab Pad Cons
How to Use the NovaaLab Pad
- Use once a day
- Use at any time of day
- Use before adding lotions and makeup
- Wrap the device around the body part
- Use the Velcro strap to hold the pad to the skin.
- Use for 20 minutes for each session.
Mito Therapy Belt
Mito therapy belt
Overview
Pricing
The Therapy Belt is $329, but you can get 5% off using coupon RED at checkout.
Mito Belt Pros
Mito Belt Cons
How to Use the Mito Red Light Therapy Belt
- Use once a day
- Use at any time of day
- Use before adding lotions and makeup
- Wrap the device around the body part
- Use the Velcro strap to hold the pad to the skin.
- Use for 20 minutes for each session.
CelLED iLED Pro
Overview
Pricing
The iLED Pro Large Belt is $950, but you can get 5% off using coupon RED at checkout.
iLED Pros
iLED Cons
How to Use the CelLED iLED Pro
- Use once a day
- Use at any time of day
- Use before adding lotions and makeup
- Wrap the device around the body part
- Use the Velcro strap to hold the pad to the skin.
- Use for 20 minutes for each session.
Nushape Therapy Wrap
Something Nushape offers that is impossible to see from pictures is how nice their neoprene wrap feels in your hands. You can just tell it’s made with care. The stitches are perfect, and the substantial feel of the material conveys a strength that feels soft to the touch. It’s a luxury brand that justifies its higher price.
The treatment size is 20 x 5 inches, giving you 100 sq. inches packed with 600 LEDs of light therapy diodes.
One thing to beware of when buying the Nushape is its 14-day return policy. This is shorter than most and is an unfortunate holdover from when Nushape sold the Lipo Wrap as its main product. People were buying the Lipo, losing some width around the waste, and then returning it for a refund. This was unfair, I think you’d agree, but it created a short return window as per their policy. The bottom line is that you should feel back pain relief in 2 weeks, but keep your eye on the calendar to be safe.
Pricing
The Therapy Wrap is usually $499. Nushape rarely has sales, but you can use the coupon RED for $50 off.
Therapy Wrap Pros
Therapy Wrap Cons
How to Use the Nushape Therapy Wrap
- Use at any time of day
- Use before adding lotions
- Place the light on the target area.
- Use the Velcro to hold the light in place
- Use for 20 minutes each session, 7 times a week
DNA Vibe Jazz Band Live
The Jazz Band Live has several neat innovations that no other back pain red light therapy wrap has.
Overview
How Jazz Band Live Treats Back Pain
Jazz Band Live soothes pain with magnetic fields, vibration, and red light therapy. The wavelengths are perfect for pain and inflammation reduction. The combination stimulates mitochondrial energy and reduces inflammation.
This bundle is ideal for those suffering from chronic pain, arthritis, or sports injuries. It can also be used as a preventative measure to maintain overall health and wellness.
DNA Vibe adds magnetic fields and vibration therapy to the Jazz Band Live’s red and infrared light therapy.
Magnetic fields in the 8-10 Hz range are believed to synchronize the body to the Schumann Resonance natural frequency. I am not an expert on magnetic fields, but I did research PEMF, which is essentially the same therapy, and there is good evidence that this type of therapy is healing.
The Schumann Resonance is the frequency between the ionosphere and the earth and is created by the natural lightning energy that is always occurring there.
The vibration feature is similar to a massage on a micro level that you don’t really feel, but your muscles respond to it nonetheless.
The other advantage of the Jazz Band Live is its ability to contour to the ankles, shoulders, wrists, and knees. This is a nice feature that holds the healing LEDs close to the skin for maximum coverage.
Pricing
The Jazz Band Live with a battery pack included is $328.95 when you use this link (click button)
Jazz Band Live Pros
Jazz Band Live Cons
How to Use the DNA Vibe Jazz Band Live
- Use twice a day for 30 minutes for at least 14 days to see if this device works for you.
- Use at any time of day (but use in the morning if you have insomnia to avoid the light bothering your circadian rhythm)
- Use before adding lotions and makeup
- Wrap the device around the body part
- Use the Velcro strap to hold the pad to the skin.
- Use for 30 minutes for each session.
Which Red Light Therapy Wrap Should You Buy?
What is Red Light Therapy (Low-Level Light Therapy/Photobiomodulation)?
Red light therapy is the low-energy delivery of visible and infrared light to promote healing.
Red light therapy is non-invasive, drug-free, and is available for at-home use without a prescription.
The cells absorb certain wavelengths of light. When they do, several healthy processes start, creating the following effects, all of which help ease back pain:
- increased adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to carry energy to cellular processes
- increased blood flow to help tissues heal
- reduced chronic inflammation that has become pathological
- reduced pain sensation, it stops the nerves from sending pain signals to the brain
How Does Red Light Therapy Help with Back Pain?
Red light therapy blocks the COX-2 enzyme. This is exactly how Ibuprofen works, but red light therapy doesn’t cause stomach bleeding. Blocking the enzyme alters and reduces your perception of pain.
Red light therapy triggers more collagen and elastin production, and that adds structure and stretch back into the back’s soft tissues.
The therapy also increases blood flow and ATP (adenosine triphosphate, the body’s biological batteries). The increased blood flow and ATP production provide oxygen, nutrition, and energy for the tissues to heal themselves.
To learn more about the specific ways that red light therapy can help with chronic pain, see my article What Happens When You Use Red Light Therapy for Chronic Pain?
Red Light Therapy Mechanisms that Ease Back Pain
What is a Red Light Therapy Wrap?
A red light therapy wrap is typically made of a soft, flexible material such as neoprene. Wraps fit around arms and legs as they are pliable, unlike handhelds and panels.
A typical wrap will fit on part of the back. Larger wraps can cover the whole back at once.
Wraps have adjustable closures, usually using Velcro to secure the wrap in place.
The LED lights on the wrap are usually arranged in a grid pattern. The wrap may contain anywhere from 100 to 300 individual LEDs, depending on the size and model.
Some wraps hold their shape, allowing you to contour them to arms and legs. The DNA Vibe Jazz Band Live and the CelLED iLED contour to arms and legs.
Wraps that do not have a contour scaffolding will unroll to a flat position when you let go. The Nushape Therapy Wrap, the Mito Red Light Therapy Belt, and the Novaa Lab Healing Pad are more supple and rely on Velcro closures to hold them in place.
Whether you get a contoured or “flat” wrap, you would use it in the flat position on your back.
The Pros and Cons of Using a Red Light Therapy Wrap for Back Pain
Pros
Cons
Best Large Area
Mito Red Light Therapy Belt
- Huge 1,215 LEDs per belt
- 21 x 5 in. treatment area covers a significant portion of your back per session
Best Cool Gadgets
Jazz Band Live
- red and infrared light therapy
- vibration therapy
- magnetic field therapy
References
Avci P, Gupta A, Sadasivam M, et al. Low-level laser (light) therapy (LLLT) in skin: stimulating, healing, restoring. Semin Cutan Med Surg. 2013 Mar;32(1):41-52. (link)
Leal Junior EC, Lopes-Martins RA, Dalan F, et al. Effect of 830 nm low-level laser therapy in exercise-induced skeletal muscle fatigue in humans. Lasers Med Sci. 2009 Jul;24(4):425-431. (link)
