Read this before you get your next finger ulcer.

[overnighthearingloss]

It's either a complete fluke or its the best treatment I have come across so far.

Do a search and you will see there have been some trials conducted.

I am referring to infa red or red light therapy.

Ages ago I read about supposed healing of aches and pains by directed red light therapy. We bought a light from Amazon for about £20. I think it got used once or twice and then was put away and forgotten.

Recently I have been suffering a finger ulcer. Yesterday it got so painful I was ready to consult a&e or contact my team about the infusion they can give you. But something made me remember the red light. As a last ditch effort to retain control I thought I would give it a try.

It's got a very short lead and the unit is not very manoeuvreable. I had to get myself to a position whereby the red light would concentrate on the wound. Instructions said to use a maximum of 15 minutes. But you would have to be a contortionist to do more with the extremely short lead.

Long story short..

I noticed pain relief almost immediately. But i redressed the wound and spent yesterday with a sock covering my hand and the dressing. Last night was the first night in about a week I haven't been woken by the ulcer pain.

I have just removed the dressing to take a look. Wound has dried out and much less inflammation around it. I have been here several times before but it really does seem to be healing.

I am going to repeat the process again later. If this really does work then it's a full 5 stars from me.

So good I had to share.

.

[honeybug]

Hooray for you onhl 😊🌿🌸🦋

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

🎉🎊🎉🎊🎉🎊🎉🎊🎉🎊🎉

🤗💗😘🙏🤗💗😘🙏🤗💗😘

EJ 🙏 xxx

[overnighthearingloss in reply to honeybug]

The post was tagged with light therapy. Click on that tag and see where else they are using it. It comes up with quite a few postings on the Parkinson's forum and postings on the thyroid forum.

This is not something to just dismiss. At the moment you can still buy these lamps on Amazon.

[honeybug in reply to overnighthearingloss]

Great. Thanks sweetie. Xxx

[Mylreaclairelee]

Wow! A revelation for you at least. Good luck. Do report further.

[overnighthearingloss]

Ok. Update time.

The first time I used the lamp the relief was so immediate and to such a degree I was a bit blown away and relaxed my routines as if my ulcer had cleared up completely. Yesterday as there was no pain and very limited swelling I removed the dressing and even allowed myself to prepare some food without any wound covering.

Even with plenty of hand washing I think that was a mistake. This morning there is a bit of pain again. Nothing like it was a few days ago. But to be honest I think it should be noted. I have decided to dress the wound again and will wear gloves if I do any prep today.

So I am treating this as stage 2 of testing and will try to eradicate complacency this time.

The 'ulcer' I am working with is on my middle finger alongside the nail. Potentially extending under the nail. It started as a quick - an annoying bit of loose skin beside the nail - that I clipped too much.

I really hope this is going to work as we all know only too well how much pain and discomfort these ulcers bring. And how long they can hang around for.

[EOLHPC in reply to overnighthearingloss]

V INTERESTING...am thanks too for the updates! I wonder if this could also help with resolving severe callus fissures on feet...i’ve always been seriously conscientious about managing everything to do with caring for/helping my extremely vulnerable feet...but now, at 65, have developed a tendency to bad persistent fissures ...with NHS podiatry help, am managing to make these less painful etc, but they don’t seem to be healing...so you’ve got me wondering about red light therapy 🍀❤️🍀❤️ Coco

[overnighthearingloss in reply to EOLHPC]

I think it is a subject to get educated about as it appears to have shown some promise in many areas.

Will it become the next mainstream treatment? I don't know. But there are postings from a few users indicating that it may be being used in a small scale capacity right now.

I am learning by trial and error right now.

[wiggywoo]

I have ulcers at least four times a year with calcinosis breaking through the skin most of the time. The pain is constant. I like the idea of light therapy and will give it a go. As for the short lead I will use an extension lead.

Thanks for the idea.

[overnighthearingloss in reply to wiggywoo]

I have also found that the lamp also is capable of warming you in a freeze attack.

I am fighting some sort of infection on many fronts at the moment and got really cold at one point today. But a few minutes with the lamp pointed at me reversed the situation.

It really is a penetrating heat, just the thing to reverse the penetrating cold attacks.

[overnighthearingloss in reply to wiggywoo]

The reason I didn't put it it on an extension lead is that sometimes in electrical appliances that heat you have to have a certain guage of wiring. Some electric heaters can fuse an extension lead. I don't know if the lamp would do that but it should be considered.

[Magsterly]

I love this. But I want to check back 6 months even a year to really see if this is a good option. I’m a skeptic when it comes to anything not tried for that length of time. I truly hope you found something for you and perhaps for others. But I can’t be excited yet. 😉

[overnighthearingloss in reply to Magsterly]

I am not a reseller of these lamps and have nothing to gain personally. But I realise they may not be the answer.

But I have noticed a few other postings recently on various forums talking of red light therapy. That's what made me remember that we already had something like that.

We bought it initially as I was suffering bouts of back pain. But unless you have your house set up as a permanent treatment centre things get put away.

I am glad I have found it again. But it may not be the right thing for many.

But remember this posting if by chance anybody in your medical team offers something similar as an option. It may provide a non drug treatment option which may appeal to some.

[Magsterly]

Yes. I did see the article from last August 2018 in the scleroderma website. They are quite excited about it. I really hope its valid for most people suffering! Im on the road to worsening symptoms so this matters to me very much.

[overnighthearingloss in reply to Magsterly]

I missed that one but have seen some people asking about red light therapy. I have heard it said that you have to come across new information from several different sources for it to stir enough interest to give it headspace.

A bit like the 100 monkey idea. Except it doesn't take that long.

I hope there is something for mainstream medicine to offer apart from yet more drugs.

I am CONVINCED that there will NEVER be cures coming from drugs. There is too much profit to be made from repeat prescriptions. So maybe it is time the old ways to be moved over to make way for different modalities.

If it is actually true that the medical community is there to advance the health of the population.......

[overnighthearingloss]

Update.

I have probably sabotaged stage 2 of the testing as I have now been put on antibiotics so it will be difficult to know whether the lamp could cope on its own

I have been fighting and feeling really quite ill with some sort of illness or infection for many weeks now that I haven't been able to clear myself and finally went to the GP. I am now on a course of antibiotics.

I do however completely stand by my opening comments, and will continue to use the lamp even with my new medication.

I really was completely overwhelmed by the initial response I got after using the lamp the first time.

I encourage people to read up on infrared therapy as the information may provide info that may be of use at some later date.

[kckmom]

I have been having finger ulcers ( like paper cuts ) that bleed & are very painful for about a year . Been to 2 dermatologists & 2 rheumatoidologists & no one can diagnose the problem . I have raynauds, thyroid issues, etc but the cuts are during both warm & cold weather . I will try the infra red lamp. Has anyone had a diagnosis on what is causing the skin to be so dry it cracks ? Feels like I burned my fingers on the stove . I’ve tried every ointment , wearing gloves & socks with gobs of ointment to moisturize but nothing is working