If only we all had the healing powers of toddlers! Lumiwave is a first-ever affordable infrared light therapy device being sold directly to consumers. This kind of tech was formerly only seen in very expensive machines in high-end athletic physical therapy and pain clinics. We got to try it out and were very impressed with the results. You may be wondering how something that uses light and looks like a bicycle brake light can really help you heal faster. I will explain how, as well as my incredible experience* seeing it in action.

How it Works

Lumiwave’s light therapy uses infrared light from 50 LEDs on each of the four pods, for a total of 200 lights. This kind of pain therapy is not new. The 1960s saw the development of medical laser tech. The tech in the Lumiwave is also sometimes called low-level light therapy, phototherapy, or photon therapy. Lumiwave was an Indiegogo project that wanted to bring this useful therapy into the hands of a consumer. Before Lumiwave, elite athletes and those who could afford fancy pain clinics and physical therapy were the only ones with access to these kinds of devices. An Indiegogo darling, Lumiwave wowed by spending $3 million to make only 750 units to test their effectiveness. The end result is that it works. But how? Here is how Lumiwave explains it:

“Also referred to as photo-therapy, photon therapy, and low-level light therapy, deep-tissue light therapy is based upon the proven science and therapeutic application of photo-biostimulation using light to stimulate natural biological processes in the areas where it is applied. Light, at an optimum power level, wavelength and dosage duration, can promote healing by increasing circulation and regeneration of normal tissue.”

It does this by stimulating your body’s natural healing processes. The infrared light itself is not a magical healing light, it just gets your body doing what it already does, but faster. It also stimulates nitric oxide, which has been shown to reduce pain and inflammation, as well as increase blood flow to tissues, which then work more intensely on the affected area. The Lumiwave testing has also shown it to apparently slow conduction of pain signals, in ways that are not fully understood yet. The working theory is that perhaps it stimulates endorphin production.

What To Use It For

Lumiwave says that it can be used for a variety of things such as tissue, muscle and organ regeneration, wound treatment, diabetic neuropathy, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, brain tumors, spinal cord injuries, and ophthalmic issues. Most interestingly, it showed promise with mild Traumatic Brain Injury in soldiers. While that is fascinating, most will use it for simple sprains, strains, and bruises.

Each pod on the Lumiwave has 50 LEDs and there are four pods connected onto the strap. The strap can be tucked around a knee, or laid across your back. I would have liked to have seen this a little more customizable since not all areas needing the Lumiwave are always in a straight line. But, it still did the trick, and then some.

My Experience with Lumiwave

The Lumiwave feels slightly warm with use. You barely notice it is there. It is recommended to use it in 20 or 30 min intervals depending on if it is on the high or low setting. This got passed around my family and heavily tested for many weeks. One family member said it healed his tendinitis of the shoulder. Another used it for post-op back surgery healing. The results were amazing and completely pushed me over the line of healthy skepticism to amazement. One family member used the Lumiwave after a back spacer insertion surgery. Unfortunately, the surgeon made a mistake and weeks later she had to have the spacer removed. When the surgeon went in, he commented on how incredibly fast her muscles and tendons had healed after the last surgery. Had the surgeon not made a mistake, she would have experienced significantly reduced post-op recovery time. That is certainly incredible. I liked the results so much that after my test period with the Lumiwave, I bought one to continue her treatment and for all of us to use.