JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Musculoskeletal pain significantly impacts quality of life and daily functioning. Light-based therapies, including those utilizing red and infrared wavelengths, have shown potential in pain management due to their anti-inflammatory and tissue-healing properties. CURAPOD, a pain management device developed by Litemed, employs a combination of visible red and infrared light for non-invasive pain relief.

Objective:

To assess the safety and efficacy of Litemed's Pain Management Device (CURAPOD) in managing acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain at various pain sites, in comparison with placebo, and evaluate its efficacy across different skin types.

Methods:

In a double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicentric study, 240 participants (aged 18-60) with acute or chronic musculoskeletal pain were enrolled and treated with either the test or control device for 30 minutes. The test device contains 7 LEDS designed to emit a combination of visible red and infrared radiation while the control device emits visible light of the red spectrum. Pain intensity was subjectively measured at baseline, 30 minutes post-treatment, and at time windows of 8-12 hours and 21-24 hours post-treatment.

Results:

The device was found to have reduced pain intensity by up to 60% at 30 minutes post-treatment when compared to the control device. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant effects of time (F= 282.37; p < 0.001) and treatment group (F = 662.12; p < 0.001), indicating sustained pain reduction over time in the treatment group. No significant effects of pain site (F = 0.169; p = 0.974) or skin type (F = 0.8; p = 0.55) were observed, confirming consistent efficacy across anatomical locations and skin types. No significant adverse events were reported. No significant adverse events were reported.

Conclusions:

The device appears safe and effective as a non-pharmacological intervention for managing acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain. Treatment with the device showed rapid pain relief, offering up to 60% pain reduction within 30 minutes of use and sustained relief for up to 20 hours post-treatment. Its therapeutic benefits were consistent across different pain sites and skin types, suggesting broad applicability. These findings support the potential integration of CURAPOD into pain management strategies, thereby improving patients’ quality of life. Clinical Trial: CTRI/2022/07/043775 https://ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials/pmaindet2.php?EncHid=Njk4NDk=&Enc=&userName=