Which Red Light Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease is Best?

Parkinson’s responds well to red light therapy (photobiomodulation), but which light should you get?

Vielight Neuro Duo | X-Plus Combo is the ultimate Vielight device for Parkinson’s symptom relief. It combines the Vielight Gamma, Alpha, and X-Plus devices into one product. Because people can have varying responses to each device, the Combo allows the user to have all possibilities, and therefore all therapies. 

To purchase the Vielight Neuro Duo|X-Plus Combo, go to Vielight.com and use the coupon EMFCHANNEL for 10% off.

A less expensive alternative with excellent specifications that exactly follow the successful scientific studies in Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, dementia, and brain injury is the Nushape Neurowrap Pulse which you can view at TheTherapyWrap.com. Use coupon RED for $50 off.

Aside: What is a “Parkinson’s” Brain Light?

Do you know what the FDA does to people who say that unpatentable devices can “cure” a disease? It’s not pretty.

Light is natural and so cannot be patented. It’s impossible to get good funding for a therapy that cannot be patented. Unless a corporation can corner the market with a patent, they’re less like to spend thirty or 40 million on FDA clearance.

You’re not allowed to make claims about a product unless you’ve spent millions of dollars on the dog and pony show.

My approach is to tell you the two things I am allowed to discuss: what the science says, and what the devices offer. I am only telling you what the science says works, and how these devices do or don’t match the specifications used in those studies.

At least as of the writing of this article, I’m still allowed to do that.

I am not claiming a Parkinson’s brain light “cures” Parkinson’s. I am saying that these wavelengths and these pulsation frequencies are shown in studies to reverse the severity of symptoms. Things that are degenerating start regenerating.

If you’re looking for information about red light therapy for Parkinson’s, dementia, Alzheimer’s, brain injury, and any brain condition, you can learn more on my series of articles here: Brain Light Articles

Should You Pulse the Light for Parkinson’s?

The Vielight Combo is proven in studies to reduce the symptom severity of Parkinson’s disease. The 810 nm infrared light and the 10 Hz and 40 Hz pulsation rates delivered around the head and through the nostril significantly reduce mobility issues, tremors, and gait dysfunction. The technology has been shown several times to assist with anxiety, depression, and insomnia.

When purchasing a Vielight for Parkinson’s, the only considerations are budget and pulsation. The budget issue is obvious, so let’s discuss pulsation.

Vielight devices have 40 Hz or 10 Hz pulsation rates, but not a continuous wave (no pulse) option.

The downside is that it has one pulsation option and the real problem here is there’s no off switch for that. If the patient has a sensitivity to pulsation (which is pretty rare), you cannot do continuous wave therapy with the Vielight Combo.

The Vielight Gamma pulses red light therapy at 40 Hz, which entrains the brain’s neurons to pick up firing at that rate as well. The Vielight Alpha pulses red light therapy at 10 Hz, causing a neural firing at 10 Hz along with the device’s lights. Patients with dementia associated with Parkinson’s are often deficient in 40 Hz, making the Gamma the appropriate device for their needs.

The value of pulsation is still debated, with some science and a significant amount of clinical observation backing its use. But pulsation is not really “red light therapy,” by which I mean that you will get results for Parkinson’s symptoms with no pulse at all. It is the wavelength and dose that helps, the pulsation probably gives everything a boost, but is not the main driver of the therapy.

Red light therapy and light pulsation are different therapies. The “red light therapy” part is the 810 nm infrared wavelength of light. The “light pulsation” part is the 40 Hz pulsation of that light. If you removed the pulsation, you would still have “red light therapy.”

The reason for the pulsation is to entrain the neurons to fire at the rate of the pulse. Neurodegenerative disease patients are often deficient in 40 Hz (and thereabouts) brainwaves, so entraining them to fire at 40 Hz restores healthy neural synchronicity.

In fact, you can get significant dementia symptom relief with a 40 Hz pulsation of light or sound, without using red light therapy. They are complementary therapies.

On the other hand, 10 Hz is in the alpha brainwave range. A 10 Hz pulsation helps the brain reach alpha brainwaves, which correlates with a waking state but is much closer to the sleeping brainwaves. So if the patient is anxious, irritable, or agitated, the 10 Hz Vielight Neuro Alpha might be a better choice. The Vielight Combo includes both devices, which is why it’s the ideal choice. Some experimentation might be required.

Red Light Therapy Side Effects

There are no red light therapy side effects specific to Parkinson’s disease. There are virtually zero side effects reported in the literature, but be aware of a few points.

• People with epilepsy should not use pulsed light to avoid triggering a seizure.
• People taking photosensitive medications should not use red light therapy to avoid triggering the photosensitive reaction.

And then there’s the delicate matter of reactions in the field that have not yet been recorded in science.

A hundred, a thousand, maybe ten thousand people will use a brain light for Parkinson’s, and one will have an adverse event in the form of a mild headache, or a buzzing feeling. By far the most common negative effect is extreme tiredness, but this is seen much more in brain injury patients than in people with Parkinson’s.

Rare but real side effects:

• headache

• light sensitivity

• a “buzzing” feeling

• sleepiness for about 24 hours

The headache is the only one that’s shown up in scientific papers, and I’ve seen it in literally one paper of the thousands I’ve read.

Sleepiness is common with brain injury users who often sleep well into the next day after their first red light therapy session.

Because Parkinson’s, dementia, Alzheimer’s and brain injury share so many mitochondrial symptoms, it’s easy to see how a Parkinson’s patient could have the same reaction.

Which Red Light Therapy Device Works for Parkinson’s Disease?

The four possible red light therapy devices for Parkinson’s are the Vielight Neuro Alpha, the Vielight Neuro Gamma, the Vielight Neuro Duo, and the Vielight Neuro Duo X-Plus.

The obvious choice for most people is the Vielight Neuro Gamma. The reasons to consider the other devices if there is significant anxiety, insomnia, or budget restraints.

The Neuro Alpha’s Super Power is Relieving Anxiety (and Helping with Sleep)

The Neuro Alpha is for Parkinson’s patients with strong anxiety, and insomnia. The Alpha is an excellent compromise to get this patient the 810 nm infrared light while not confounding the therapy with a stimulating pulsation. Use the Alpha in the afternoon or evening.

The Neuro Gamma’s Super Power is Restoring Memory and Cognition

The Vielight Neuro Gamma is for Parkinson’s patients with some to no anxiety. It’s ok if the patient has insomnia, the light should help. Just use the Gamma in the morning as it is stimulating. The Gamma is the go-to choice for neurodegenerative disease.

The Neuro Duo is the Neuro Alpha and Gamma Combined

The Neuro Duo is the Alpha and Gamma in one device. The Duo allows you to switch between 10 Hz and 40 Hz, rather than choosing one or the other. The Duo is the device for the Parkinson’s patient to do in the morning on some days (using Gamma) and the evening on others (using Alpha). The patient gets the stimulation in the morning and the calming effects at night.

The Neuro Duo Plus X-Plus is the Neuro Alpha, Gamma, and X-Plus Combined

The Neuro Duo Plus X-Plus covers all the ground. This package contains the Neuro Duo as described above, plus the X-Plus device.

The X-Plus adds brainstem therapy for the occipital lobe and cerebellum. The cerebellum is involved in movement and the occipital in vision. The X-Plus comes with a free-standing LED to place anywhere on the body.

Dr. Anne Liebert recently did red light therapy study on Parkinson’s using a light on the gut. The subjects started with a dysfunctional gut biome that one expects to see in Parkinson’s patients. The light therapy correlated with the Parkinsonian gut dysfunction literally going away.

The Neuro Duo Plus X-Plus allows you to do transcranial, intranasal, and gut biome therapy all with one purchase.

Round up of Parkinson’s Brain Light Options

(1) Get the Neuro Duo Plus X-Plus to cover all the bases. You get 40 Hz and 10 Hz 810 nm infrared transcranial therapy, intranasal therapy, and body therapy.

(2) Get the Vielight Neuro Duo to switch between Alpha 10 Hz, and Gamma 40 Hz on the head and in the nose.

(3) Get the Vielight Gamma for the patient who needs stimulation (most people with dementia need help with 40 Hz brainwaves)

(4) Get the Vielight Neuro Alpha for the patient with anxiety

(5) Get the Nushape Neurowrap Pulse for a comprehensive solution at a cheaper price.

Most people, in my experience, want the Vielight. The return rate is only 4.1%.

You might want to read my article: Vielight Review and Overview – this will show you how to choose the Vielight Duo,

Or go right to my table showing you how to choose any Vielight

Device Use in Real Time

The Vielight brain lights are lightweight. They have a transcranial headset to put lights over the ears and forehead. Then there’s the intranasal device that clips on the outside of the nose. The X-Plus LED module adds a lightweight light to the body.

How to Get a Cheaper Brain Light for Parkinson’s

You need to make a sacrifice or two to get a cheaper Parkinson’s light. But I really love this company’s products, and there’s no risk in trying this one.

Look at the Nushape Neurowrap Pulse as an option.

This device includes 810 nm infrared, 10 Hz, and 40 Hz pulsation. The pulse is optional, which takes care of the few cases in which pulsation is not preferred. The Neurowrap also has pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) therapy, another complementary brain therapy on top of red light therapy and pulsation.

PEMF is similar to red light therapy. It also uses electromagnetic waves to heal. It is not patentable, so your doctor never heard of it. However, the science is solid that it relieves symptoms of neurodegeneration and brain injury.

I happen to really like Nushape, the company that sells the Neurowrap. They build high-quality neoprene wraps with good controllers and solid specifications. My Nushape Lipowrap does not show any wear after months of use. It’s just good materials.

Nushape offers a 100% return policy, but you only have 14 days to return it. Go to TheTherapyWrap.com using this link, Nushape Neurowrap Pulse (Use Coupon RED for $50 off) device on their website.

The upside to the Nushape is that it is cheaper than the Vielight models and the 810 nm helmet. The downside is that there are no studies on this device. There are studies on these specifications, just not on this implementation of those specifications. The extra pulse and PEMF give you lots of opportunities to find a good therapy for your patient. Like the Vielight Duo, the Nushape has 10 Hz and 40 Hz to entrain brainwaves. Usually, Parkinson’s is a 40 Hz application, but everyone can have differences, and your patient might prefer 10 Hz or none at all. You can turn them all off to do just a simple 810 nm infrared therapy. that’s the best of a lot of worlds.

Vielight Return Policies

The Vielight devices are returnable in 6 months for 80% of your cost. There’s a 20% return fee. Given that you have a 95.9% chance of loving your Vielight, the risk is small.

Nushape Return Policies

The Nushape Neuro Wrap Pulse is returnable within 14 days. I suggest you contact Nushape (phone number is on TheTherapyWrap.com) website to ask for some more time. The return policy is legacy and should be longer for this device.

How to Get a Crazy Cheap Parkinson’s Brain Light

Next up is just an idea with no promises.

You could get a cheap red light therapy bulb and give that a test.

If you buy it on Amazon you have 30 days for returns.

A device like the Wolezek bulb will do. Put it an inch from the scalp, for two to three minutes per spot.

After each spot, move to the next spot for two to three minutes. Cover the scalp as much as you can.

Then? See how the patient feels!

There’s no science for this method except the crucial fact that the bulb matches what’s working in science. It’s about the same risk-reward ratio as the Nushape, but even cheaper.

Just remember, you’re trading time for money. A Vielight session is 20 minutes. It could take an hour or more to cover the head in bulb-size increments.

I have done this protocol on the sides of my head, and at the same level as the eyes but back a bit. I’ve felt clearer and calm after a session. Placebo? Maybe. Infrared coziness? Yes, that is probably part of it (the heat effect is nice, but it’s not going to clear amyloid plaques). Get the Wolezek bulb here on Amazon.com.

Conclusion

Science is showing that red light therapy that reaches the brain or gut biome reduces symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Specifically, it helps restore gait function, mobility and reduces tremors.

Vielight has the most science behind its devices. The best choice is the Vielight Neuro Duo Plus X-Plus to get every possible wavelength, pulsation, and targeting that has worked in the studies.

For a budget option, try the Nushape Neurowrap Pulse. Its specifications are pulled directly from the science.

For an absolute budget attempt at red light therapy for Parkinson’s that is throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks but is still a reasonable idea, try the Woleczek bulb from Amazon.com.

• Go to Vielight.com for the Neuro Duo X-Plus Combo (use coupon EMFCHANNEL for 10% off)
• Go to TheTherapyWrap.com for the Nushape Neurowrap Pulse (use coupon RED for $50 off)
• Go to Amazon.com for the Woleczek red light therapy bulb.