Low-level laser therapy beds help reduce pain and inflammation

STUDIO CITY, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- As a personal trainer Chrissy Lundgren needs to be in peak shape to work with her clients, but back problems stopped her cold.

"In May, I experienced some herniated discs with some sciatic pain and I tried everything: acupuncture, chiropractic," said Lundgren.

Then she gave photobiomodulation a try. It's a low-level light laser therapy.

"One week in the bed. Seriously, I feel great. I can actually move around again without pain," said Lundgren.

Andrew Girvan, who manages the US Cryotherapy center, explains how this near-infrared light works on cells.

"It helps to increase ATP and reduce oxidative stress. ATP is our cell source of energy. Oxidative stress is accepted as an underlying cause of basically all disease," said Girvan.

Girvan said their Novothor body light pod has shown some impressive results with clients.

"I was lifting more weight more easily. I could work out for much longer as well. The studies I was presented with, there's a lot of evidence it does a lot of good," said client Jeremy Thierry of Toluca Lake.

"It's been studied in over 400 randomized controlled trials across the globe," said Girvan.

NASA uses it, so does Harvard Medical School and MIT along with several sports teams.

Besides reducing pain, inflammation, and improving sports recovery, it may help with weight loss because it helps the body regulate insulin.

As always, there are a few people who shouldn't use this machine. In this case those who are pregnant, epileptic and maybe claustrophobic.

"Ideally you close the lid, but if you are claustrophobic you still get the effect," said Girvan.

Twelve minutes in the bed will cost between $30 to $40 each time depending on sessions purchased.

This whole-body light pod is in Studio City, but you'll find others popping up in Santa Monica at Bulletproof Labs.