Is Photobiomodulation Ready For Clinical Prime Time?

Photobiomodulation has grown rapidly in recent years, and a wide range of products has appeared. The internet is full of infrared LED belts for back pain and units for the shoulders and knees of aging adults and weekend athletes. More recently, new systems are being promoted for cognitive support—some with impressive claims.

The early leader for neuronal applications was Vielight (Canada). They introduced the first pulsed near-infrared headset in a clinician’s price range that was simple to operate. An intranasal light add-on promised deeper reach into frontal-limbic structures. Two fixed-pulse options were offered—an alpha rhythm unit and a gamma rhythm unit. You placed the unit, pressed start, and even the session duration was preset.

Near-infrared light penetrated the scalp to stimulate underlying cortex. Clients often reported gentle warmth during operation. The aim was to support cellular growth and regeneration, mitochondrial ATP production, and circulation while reducing inflammation. Early research—limited at the time—looked promising. At ISNR and AAPB conferences, attendees lined up to try it. We didn’t yet know which frequency best matched which symptoms; patterns were hard to see. Still, many reported benefit from one of the two models—some noted headache relief or better focus after a single session—though placebo effects were possible. Adverse effects appeared minimal, and the technology seemed safe for clinical use, so many of us acquired a unit to trial with complex cases who were open to it. For mechanism context, this post on brain plasticity explains why the brain can change in response to well-timed stimulation and training.

Clinicians also hoped it might augment neurofeedback sessions, much as photic stimulation sometimes does. We quickly learned the device emitted EMF that introduced noise into EEG recording, making simultaneous use impractical. Most practitioners shifted to pre- or post-session application. Pre-session was favored because it allowed comparison to baseline sessions run without it. Today many clinicians still use these devices, though benefits vary widely across clients—as they do with photic-stimulation glasses. That stands to reason: each client’s deficits and needs differ, and photobiomodulation will not address every profile. It’s analogous to targeted B12 support for individuals with MTHFR-related methylation issues—helpful there, but not for those without that problem. For a quick primer on how we structure protocols and measure progress, see our guide to functional neurofeedback.

More recently, far-infrared devices have appeared in the form of comfortable helmets that deliver light across the entire scalp. Early clinical reports suggest value for individuals with emerging cognitive decline and for head injury. Marvin Berman has been a key figure in developing a clinically viable version of this technology. His refinement—the Neuromatrix helmet—is built for practitioners rather than the trimmed-down consumer units. It divides output into four scalp quadrants, each independently programmable for pulse frequency, intensity, and duration. The whole-scalp coverage and flexibility go beyond early headsets like the Vielight. Clinics using it are reporting encouraging outcomes, and demand for effective tools to manage TBI and cognitive decline continues to grow as the population ages. If you work with head injuries, this overview of qEEG-guided neurofeedback for brain trauma summarizes what clinicians are seeing in TBI cases.

If you adopt clinical technologies early, the Neuromatrix is worth a close look. It’s available at a modest list price of $3,499. NewMind is now offering this technology along with an opportunity to participate in our photobiomodulation research project.