Summary for Clinical Practice

Written By Valerie Krossin

Oral mucositis (chemoradiation)

  • Strong — use is recommended

  • MASCC/ISOO, NICE[11][12]

Low back pain

  • Recommended

  • American College of Physicians[^12]

Fibromyalgia

  • Moderate evidence, consider as adjunct

  • Multiple meta-analyses[^11]

Knee osteoarthritis

  • Moderate evidence for disability reduction

  • Multiple meta-analyses[^11]

Burning mouth syndrome

  • Moderate evidence for pain

  • Meta-analysis[^11]

Androgenetic alopecia

  • Moderate evidence, FDA-cleared

  • Meta-analysis[11][3]

Wound healing / Diabetic ulcers

  • Promising; low-moderate certainty

  • Systematic reviews[11][15]

Neurological conditions (TBI, PD)

  • Experimental; further trials needed

  • University of Utah, 2025[^17]

Key clinical takeaway: PBM and LED-based photobiomodulation therapy have a well-established safety record, a credible mechanistic basis, and meaningful clinical efficacy across a growing number of indications — with the strongest evidence in oral/orofacial and musculoskeletal domains. Standardization of protocols and additional high-quality multicenter RCTs remain the field's primary research priority.

Valerie Krossin

As a nurse and educator with over 16 years of experience in the field of photobiomodulation (PBM), I have witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of this innovative therapy on pain, healing and sports recovery and performance enhancement. As the Educational Director and Senior Account Manager for industry leaders ASPEN Laser and TheraLight, I have been instrumental in forming strategic alliances with health professionals, businesses, individuals and professional and collegiate teams.

PBM harnesses the power of specific wavelengths of light, particularly in the red and near-infrared spectrum, to stimulate cellular processes such as ATP production, enhance mitochondrial function, reduce inflammation, promote tissue repair, and modulate biological responses like gene expression and ion channel activity. These benefits make near-infrared light a versatile tool in PBM, with applications ranging from athlete recovery and performance improvement and pain management to potential treatments for complex neurological conditions.

My unique perspective, combining over two decades of nursing experience with expertise in cutting-edge PBM technology, has allowed me to bridge the gap between clinical practice and sports medicine. This is evident in my recent work, including an abstract accepted by the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS) for E-Poster Presentation on Transcranial PBM for treating neurodegenerative diseases.

As the field of PBM continues to evolve, I remain committed to advancing its science and application in sports medicine. We are opening new frontiers in athletic performance and recovery, providing athletes with safe, effective, and non-invasive methods to optimize their potential.

https://www.photobiomodulation.expert
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