Migraine patients would like nothing more than to be able to flip a switch and make their pain disappear. It sounds fanciful, but new research is showing that such a switch might not be too far off. For the past several years, Mohad Ibrahim, PhD, MD, director of the University of Arizona’s comprehensive pain management clinic, has been investigating non-pharmaceutical treatments for chronic migraine pain through an unconventional pathway—green light.

Two years ago, Dr. Ibrahim and his team found that repeated exposure to 525nm wavelength green light reduced migraine-related pain reactions in rats.¹ The catch, they found, was that the rats needed to experience the light via the visual pathway, suggesting a neuro-ophthalmic connection to relieving migraines.¹ The researchers believe the effect is mediated through the endogenous opioids and cannabinoid system.^1,2

The team is seeing similar results in humans enrolled in an ongoing clinical trial.² Participants are being asked to take green LED lights home and sit in a dark room with the lights on for two hours daily for three months.² In addition to migraine-related pain, the investigators are evaluating for the green LED light’s usefulness in wound healing, temporomandibular joint dysfunction pain and back pain.² 

The research is getting attention from mainstream press, such as National Public Radio, where Dr. Ibrahim recently discussed his previous findings and ongoing trial.³ The investigation is slated to run until December 2020.²