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Dr. Brian McLaren, B.V.Sc., M.App.Sc Australia
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PHOTONIC THERAPY
THEORY
INTRODUCTION
To understand how Photonic Therapy works, one must have an understanding of some basic physics, biochemistry, phylogenetics, anatomy and acupuncture. It is important not to be frightened off by the science, as each step will be explained you will see how it all comes together to form a whole.
PHYSICS
In physics, we discuss that part of the electromagnetic theory, where electricity, gravity, and magnetism are all part of the one phenomenon. These are forces that can be measured and used, but as they cannot be seen, a number of concepts have been used to explain their characteristics. The points I wish to discuss relate to light, wavelength, colour, magnetic lines of force, and electric fields.
Light is merely that part of the electromagnetic spectrum which is visible to the human eye.. We can talk of light radiating from a source such as the sun, or a lamp. Equally we can talk in terms of measurable quantities of electromagnetic radiation, or EMR.
EMR may be thought of as travelling in waves when travelling through space, but must be thought of as being contained in small packets of energy, or photons, when in any other medium such as tissue.
As an analogy we can think of wavelengths as providing information about a train travelling across open country. The wavelength and height could be used to describe the carriage length and height.
A station-master down the line would know in advance which tunnel the train would fit through or how long a platform would be required, to accommodate the train.
While wavelengths tell us much about our
train in open country (or about light travelling through space), it is not an
adequate description for all situations. For
example, when the train pulls into the station, the station master is more
interested in the number of passengers per carriage.
In the same way while wavelengths are one way of describing light in
space, once light enters tissue or any other medium it changes its velocity and
therefore it changes its wavelength. We
are more interested in the energy per unit, which remains constant, and
therefore this is why we discuss the photons of energy.
In approximate terms the smaller the
wavelength (in space), the higher the energy contained in each photon.
At the small wavelength end of the EMR spectrum, atomic radiation or
x-rays can be quite damaging to tissue. Moving
up the spectrum ultra-violet light (200-300nm) does not penetrate the skin
deeply but can cause cell mutation, skin cancer, and the like.
The visible spectrum consists of
wavelengths between 400nm to 700nm. Our
light is a 660nm wavelength. White
light is a mixture of all 300 wavelengths, and is equivalent to visible static
as each wavelength interferes with the others. One may think of turning on a radio and hearing static, but
tuned to one wavelength you get one radio station clearly. The same effect exists with light, as a mixture of
wavelengths interfere with each other. Single
wavelengths of light are used, as these can penetrate and stimulate tissue.
Photonic Therapy uses a 660nm
(±
10nm) red light. Colour is the
human eye’s perception of the energy level in each group of wavelengths.
The small wavelength, high energy light causes a sensation in our eyes
which we recognize as “blue” light. The
medium wavelength, medium energy we see as “green” light, and the longer
wavelength, lower energy we see as red light.
Infra red light and
microwaves are beyond the human eye’s capacity to see or interpret.
If we take a bar magnet, and sprinkle
iron filings near it, they will line up in lines of magnetic force.
If we take two electrically charged particles of equal but opposite
charges, we can show the equivalent to the magnetic lines of force, which is
commonly referred to as the electric field around the object
Biochemistry
Biochemistry may be defined as the study of life and living things at a molecular level. We may think of a hydrogen atom as consisting of a single positive electrical charge called a proton, around which a single negatively charged particle or electron moves. This is similar to a planet moving around a sun.
Hydrogen
Atom
If we remove the electron from the atom,
we end up with what is known as a hydrogen ion or H+. An ion is therefore a chemical entity, which has either one
(or more) too many, or one (or more) too few electrons, and thus it is unstable
and both chemically and electrically reactive.
From biochemistry, we need to understand that while the body is a complex
multi-cellular organism, it may be thought of as numerous single cells.
By understanding how each cell works we can understand how the body
itself works.
Each cell wall is basically composed of
a double layer of an oily film, which separates two, water based, chemical
soups. Inside the cell there are
also a number of physical and chemical structures, while in the cell wall itself
there are a number of channels openings or ports.
These ports may be open, closed, or they may be either physically or
electrically “gated”.
The chemicals on the inside and outside of the cell try to move through the cell walls to equate the concentration on each side. The concentration of chemical ions is generally stronger inside and so the chemical gradient is to the outside. However, as each chemical is electrically charged, and as the potassium (K+), sodium (Na+), and calcium (Ca++) ions flow out, they leave the inside of the cell negatively charged which tends to draw the chemicals back in. So we have a chemical gradient in one direction and electrical gradient in the other.
To add to the complexity, and before a
neutral state can be achieved, the cell pumps Na+ out, and K+ back in.
The cell requires energy to do this, which is suppled from the food we
eat, and the air we breathe. The
breakdown products include hydrogen ions (H+) which have to be pumped out of the
cell as well. The cell will often exchange one H+ out of the cell for one
K+ into the cell.
Food products and oxygen are combined to
provide energy for the cell, this is done by transferring
phosphorous atoms onto a protein called Adenosine.
Adenosine combined with one phosphorous atom is called
Adenosine-Mono-Phosphate, or AMP. More
phosphorous converts the AMP to Adenosine-Di-Phosphate
(ADP) and a third addition of phosphorous make Adenosine-Tri-Phosphate
(ATP). When ATP is broken down to
ADP, it releases one phosphorous atom, and energy for cell use.
The cell uses the conversion of ADP to ATP in the same way as a person
puts money into a bank. The reverse
conversion of ATP to ADP, is the same as drawing money out to spend.
When light energy, in a narrow range of
from 600nm to 1100nm falls on skin, it penetrates and stimulates the production
of AMP. An increase in AMP causes a
pressure to convert ADP to ATP and thus energizes a cell.
As the cell changes electrically and chemically, it is also changing the relative acidity of the inside to the outside of the cell. This is very important as a cell can only operate within a very narrow range, and extremely small changes can affect a cell tremendously. We can now see that electricity, chemicals and acidity can be inter-converted at the molecular level
Each cell is electrically charged and
maintains a difference from inside to outside and this electrical potential
creates an electrical field around each cell. While the electrical force across
the cell wall is in the order of 70-90 milli-Volts, (which is extremely small),
due to the very small width of the cell wall, this is equivalent to 170,000
Volts per centimetre.
Under the skin is connected tissue,
which is largely comprised of a protein known as collagen. Of the 32 crystalline shapes known to science, 20 of these
are so arranged that pressure cause an electrical charge separation within the
crystal. This is known as the Piezo-electric
crystal effect, of these 20 crystals, 10 are also Pyro-electric, that is, heat
causes an electric charge separation. Collagen
is comprised of crystals, which are both Piezo and Pyro electric.
Thus when the skin is touched, the body recognizes both pressure and
warmth, and the information is conveyed to the brain electrically via the
nerves.
Medically, electrocardiograms (ECGs) and
electroencephalograms (EEGs) are used to diagnostically interpret the body’s
electrical discharges. Photonic
Therapy is the marriage of 1990’s diode chip technology to simple, proven,
though ancient diagnostic concepts, to alter electrical fields in the skin to
stimulate healing, increase immune response and pain relief.
Phylogenetics
Originally single cell organisms utilized
the energy of the chemical soups in which they swam, to convert chemical
substrates such as Sulphur-di-oxide to energy for themselves and oxygen was the
poisonous by-product excreted. Over
millions of years the oxygen level built up in the atmosphere until it became a
limiting factor, to continued growth and reproduction.
A small purple bacteria evolved which could utilize oxygen, however this
was often eaten by its larger neighbours.
Eventually a symbiotic relationship was
formed where the smaller cell was able to live and divide inside the larger
cell, utilize the oxygen by-products, and provide the larger cell with energy in
return. These internal organisms
are known as Mitochondria in animals, or chlorophyll Thyalkoids in plants.
Every known living creature has mitochondria inside every cell, with the
exception of a couple of amoeba, inside of
which, live purple symbiotic bacteria.
It is in the wall of the mitochondria where particular proteins convert
light into energy. This energy is
used by the cell to pump sodium (Na+), hydrogen (H+),
and other ions out of the cell and potassium (K+) back in.
This creates an electrical gradient across the cell wall.
Bacteria and other simple, single cell
organisms, do not have a nervous system, but they have a form of memory, a sense
of direction and many have a coordinated movement pattern of their hair like
projections, due to the electrical potential differences across their cell
membrane (wall). In the higher
order creatures such as sharks and fish, the electrical fields around their
bodies are used for prey detection, and communication as do the platypus and
echidnas.
In the case of fish, each fish has its
own electrical field surrounding its body.
When fish swim in schools, the combined school produces a combined
electrical field. When a shark
attacks, the entire school feels the penetration of the field, not just the fish
nearest the shark, and therefore the entire school can take evasive action.
Snakes have infrared (heat) sensors on
their lips, which are linked to the visual centers of their brains, and
therefore the snake can interpret or “see” its prey with the heat pits
around it’s mouth. Birds, higher
mammals, and humans have well-developed eyes to receive and interpret
electromagnetic radiation in the form of visible light.
However it is well known that the skin possesses light sensitivity, and
the presence of the eyes only modifies the skin’s photo-sensitivity effect.
Conclusion
Acupuncture points are known to be areas
on the skin of increased electrical conductivity, the stimulation of
which can change physiological body functions.
Acupuncture points can therefore be seen to be the skin’s, electric
field sensory system, which is common to all things, in both the animal and
plant kingdoms. These are developed
to a greater or lesser degree depending on the environment inhabited.
If cells are grown on an agar plate, in
the dark, in an incubator (regardless of whether they are tissue or yeast
cells), on exposure to light and returned to the incubator, it will be noticed
that they grow at a greater rate for anything up to 3 or 4 generations.
If the cells were examined immediately after exposure to light, little
change would be noticed. However, after 32-48 hours, improvement in growth rates can
be demonstrated. As little as 2
hours of normal, room intensity fluorescent light will stimulate growth.
When an acupuncture point is stimulated
by a needle it produces pressure, and via the Piezo-electric crystal effect, an
electrical stimulation which stimulated the nerves to stimulate the brain.
This is not just a momentary effect, but the change in electrical
potential at that location changes the energy levels of the surrounding cells
for some 32 to 48 hours. The needle
causes microtrauma, which releases a cascade of body substances, which act as
chemical messengers to stimulate the nerve endings to stimulate healing.
This is the same as if a person gets stung by a bee, where the injury is
momentary but the effects can last for a couple of days.
The chemical messengers released by the
needle’s microtrauma, are called primary messengers. These stimulate AMP, which acts as a secondary messenger.
When a light is shone on an acupuncture point it changes the electrical
potential of the mitochondrial walls within the cell, and therefore the energy
of the cell in exactly the same way as an acupuncture needle would do, by
increasing AMP, without the problems associated with skin penetration.
A person has information about their
environment, such as noises, light intensity, temperature, or clothing touching
their skin, flooding into the brain the whole time. The brain has the ability to switch off and ignore these
signals. It is the same with pain,
if the condition goes on for more than 6 weeks the brain learns to accept the
problem and the person is in chronic pain, and has a non-healing problem or
progressive disease such as arthritis, diabetes, or glaucoma.
By stimulating certain skin areas, we can change the perception the brain
is receiving, and cause the brain to release certain neurochemicals (endorphins
and cortisones), which cause the body to heal.
When any
tissue (plant or animal) is injured, an extremely small electrical
current can be detected flowing away from the damaged area.
This is known as the discharge of injury.
The reason an acupuncture needle is inserted to a given depth, and
twirled in a given direction for a given number of turns, is to provide a
relatively constant amount of damage. This
in turn provides a relatively constant discharge of
injury, which flows from the damaged tissue to the underside of the skin, which
is the connective tissue comprised of collagen.
It is here that the pressure effects of the needle, and the discharge of
injury equate with one another, and combine their effect along with the damage
products (primary messengers) to stimulate nerve endings.