Red Light Therapy for Neck Pain: What the Research Shows
Red light therapy for neck pain has some of the better evidence among the pain uses of light: a Lancet review of 16 trials found people with chronic neck pain about four times as likely to improve with light as with placebo. Most of those trials used near-infrared clinic lasers on the back and sides of the neck. Below: the reviews, chronic versus newly stiff necks, desk posture, where to aim, trial settings, exercise, the thyroid question, whiplash, warning signs and panel set-up.
Key takeaways
- A 2009 Lancet review of 16 trials with 820 people found that people with chronic neck pain were about four times as likely to improve with light as with placebo. Chow, 2009
- In the same review, neck pain was 19.86 mm lower on a 100 mm scale than with placebo, and lower pain was still measured up to 22 weeks after treatment. Chow, 2009
- A 2022 review of 944 people with upper trapezius muscle pain found a medium effect for light alone and a large effect when light was added to exercise. Alayat, 2022
- In a sham-controlled trial of 90 adults with chronic neck pain, 40% of the 830 nm laser group improved by more than 3 points out of 10, against 7% with sham. AHRQ, 2020
- A 2017 US physiotherapy guideline lists laser as an option for chronic neck pain with stiffness, inside a plan built on exercise and manual therapy. Blanpied, 2017
Does red light therapy for neck pain work?
For ongoing neck pain, the reviews point to yes: light lowered pain more than placebo, both straight after a course and for weeks afterwards. Almost all of that evidence comes from near-infrared lasers held on the skin over sore points.
| Review | What it pooled | Main finding |
|---|---|---|
| Chow, 2009 (Lancet) | 16 trials, 820 people | About four times as likely to improve in chronic pain; pain 19.86 mm lower on 100 mm |
| Gross, 2013 | 17 trials, 632.8 to 904 nm | Light "may be beneficial for chronic neck pain" and function |
| Alayat, 2022 | 17 studies, 944 people, upper trapezius | Medium effect alone, large effect with exercise |
| Wong, 2016 (OPTIMa) | Update for an international neck pain task force | Most evidence favours clinic laser for persistent neck pain |
| AHRQ, 2020 | Three sham-controlled neck pain trials | Moderately greater short-term gains in pain and function than sham |
The Lancet review found pain 22.07 mm lower than placebo at 1 to 22 weeks after treatment. Chow, 2009 It also reported that side effects "were mild and not different from those of placebo".
The task force update concluded that "the preponderance of evidence suggests that clinic-based LLLT is effective" for persistent neck pain. Wong, 2016
For worn neck joints, see red light therapy for arthritis.
Does red light help long-term neck pain, or a neck that stiffened this week?
The evidence is strongest for neck pain lasting more than 3 months: the Lancet review pooled 14 chronic trials and only 2 acute ones. Acute pain also improved with light, but with far fewer people behind that result.
For a new stiff neck, the NHS notes that "most neck pain only lasts a few weeks". NHS Its self-care advice comes first:
- Keep moving: gentle neck flexibility exercises, and no collar, because it is "better to keep your neck moving".
- Painkillers: paracetamol, ibuprofen or ibuprofen gel.
- Heat or cold: a wrapped hot water bottle for 20 minutes, 2 to 3 times a day.
Ibuprofen and some other medicines can make skin more sensitive to light. Our precautions rule out photosensitising medication, so if you take any medicine, check with your pharmacist or doctor before using the device.
After a fresh strain, give the neck 2 to 3 days before adding light.
Can red light help tech neck from desks, laptops and phones?
Most chronic neck pain trials enrolled people with everyday, non-specific neck pain, the kind that long hours at a screen tend to bring on. Light goes alongside better posture and regular breaks, not instead of them.
Neck pain affects 10% to 20% of adults, and screen-straining posture is a common cause. Cleveland Clinic Mayo Clinic names sitting hunched over a computer and looking down at a smartphone among the causes of muscle strain. Mayo Clinic
In 24 seated workers with trapezius trigger points, 830 nm light changed pressure pain threshold after 5 minutes, not after 1 or 2. Lee, 2011
Mayo Clinic and the NHS suggest these desk habits:
- Screen height: monitor and phone at eye level, head over the spine.
- Breaks: stand and stretch regularly instead of holding one position.
- Shoulders: sit upright with the shoulders rolled back.
Where should the light go for neck and shoulder pain?
Trials aimed light at the back and sides of the neck and the upper trapezius, the muscle that runs from the neck to the top of the shoulder. All of it was applied on the skin, and for a panel that means light from behind or side-on, not at the front of the throat.
- Tender points: the 90-person trial treated tender areas of the neck. Chow, 2006
- Upper trapezius: the tight bands between the neck and the shoulder tip.
- Back of the neck: one trial scanned light from the base of the skull down to the bony bump at the bottom of the neck.
- Side of the neck: a small 2023 trial also lit the scalenes and the long muscle at the side of the neck. Physiother Quart, 2023
For red light therapy for neck and shoulder pain together, sitting with your back to a panel lights the back of the neck and the tops of both shoulders at once. For pain in the shoulder joint itself, see red light therapy for shoulder pain. Our headaches guide uses the same set-up.
Red or near-infrared: which light did the neck trials use?
Mostly near-infrared: the main neck trials used 780 to 904 nm, and 830 nm is the most tested wavelength. Red light at 632.8 nm appears in the reviews too, in fewer trials.
The closest design to an LED device is the small 2023 trial in 28 people. Physiother Quart, 2023 It used a cluster of three 590 nm LEDs with one 830 nm laser diode, 1 minute per region, 6 sessions over 2 weeks. Pain fell in both groups, and effect sizes were higher with active light.
Trial lasers touch small points; a panel covers a broad area. See cold laser therapy vs red light therapy for the difference.
What settings did the neck pain trials use?
Most trials gave near-infrared laser for 30 seconds to 3 minutes per point, 2 to 5 sessions a week, for 2 to 7 weeks. The 2013 review describes 2 to 7 sessions a week over 10 days to 7 weeks.
| Study | Light | Time | Schedule | Main result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chow, 2006 (sham, 90 people) | 830 nm laser | 30 seconds per tender point, up to 30 minutes | 2 a week, 7 weeks | 40% against 7% improved by more than 3 points |
| Gür, 2004 (sham, 60 people) | 904 nm laser | 3 minutes per tender point | 5 a week, 2 weeks | Pain at rest 4.2 against 6.3 out of 10 at 2.5 months |
| Konstantinovic, 2010 (sham, 60 people) | Laser, neck with arm pain | Not given | 15 sessions, 3 weeks | Better pain, function and quality of life |
| Physiother Quart, 2023 (placebo, 28 people) | 590 nm LEDs + 830 nm laser | 1 minute per region | 3 a week, 2 weeks | Larger effect sizes with active light |
| Gross, 2013 review | 632.8 to 904 nm | 30 to 196 seconds per point | 2 to 7 a week, 10 days to 7 weeks | Chronic pain and function better than placebo |
The Chow and Gür results come from the AHRQ evidence tables. AHRQ, 2020
Laser joules per point do not convert into a panel session. What carries over: near-infrared, the back of the neck and upper trapezius, and regular sessions over several weeks.
Does red light work better with neck exercises or physio?
Yes: the trapezius review found a larger effect when light was added to exercise than with light alone. Guidelines put exercise and staying active first, with light as an optional extra.
In the 2022 review, the effect size for pain was 0.54 with light alone and 0.80 with light plus exercise. Alayat, 2022
In one trial of 62 people in the 2013 review, 780 nm light plus exercise lowered pain more than exercise alone, and the gain lasted 3 weeks. Gross, 2013 A separate 2022 review of 7 trials found the added pain relief was small in some of them. da Silva Junior, 2022
The US physiotherapy guideline builds care for chronic neck pain around exercise for the neck and shoulder blade area, plus mobilisation or manipulation. Blanpied, 2017 It lists "dry needling, laser, or intermittent mechanical/manual traction" as options alongside that plan.
Is red light near the neck safe for the thyroid?
Neck skin trials that checked the thyroid by ultrasound found no significant thyroid problems, and neck pain sessions light the back and sides of the neck rather than the front. Even so, our precautions rule out Kivorla devices for anyone with a thyroid condition or on thyroid medication.
The thyroid sits at the front of the neck. Our guide to red light for the neck covers those skin trials and front-of-neck use for wrinkles.
Can red light help whiplash or a pinched nerve in the neck?
Light has not been studied after whiplash, and current advice centres on returning to normal activity early. For a pinched nerve with arm pain, one well-run trial found benefit, but arm symptoms need a doctor first.
The University of Queensland's RECOVER centre rates laser after whiplash as "No Research". RECOVER The US physiotherapy guideline advises an early return to normal activities and notes "recovery is expected to occur within the first 2 to 3 months". Blanpied, 2017
The pinched nerve trial was a neck (cervical radiculopathy) trial in Pain Medicine with 60 people, rated 10 out of 10 for quality. Konstantinovic, 2010 After 15 sessions over 3 weeks, pain, function and quality of life were better than with placebo. Gross, 2013
Which neck symptoms need a doctor before any light?
Get urgent help for neck pain after a fall, crash or diving accident, or with new weakness or numbness in the arms or legs. Fever, weight loss, a severe headache, or trouble walking, speaking or swallowing also need checking first.
- After an injury: "severe neck pain after an injury" needs emergency care. Mayo Clinic
- Nerves: new weakness in the arms or legs, numbness in both arms or legs, clumsy hands, or problems walking or balancing. Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust
- Bladder and bowel: any change in control, or numbness around the saddle area. Midlands Partnership NHS
- Head symptoms: severe headache, dizziness, changes in vision or speech, trouble swallowing, fainting or vomiting.
- Feeling unwell: fever, chills or unexplained weight loss. Cleveland Clinic Night sweats, or new neck pain with a history of cancer, HIV, TB or inflammatory arthritis. Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust
- No improvement: pain that is not better after a few weeks, painkillers that do not help, or pins and needles or a cold arm. NHS
Light is an add-on to keeping active, not a replacement for a doctor or physiotherapist.
How do you use a Kivorla panel for neck pain?
Hang the panel with its centre at neck and upper shoulder level, put the goggles on, close your eyes and sit with your back to it at about 12 inches. Run the near-infrared channels for 10 to 15 minutes, 2 to 5 times a week, and review at 3 to 4 weeks.
The 9-Spectrum Red Light Therapy Panel carries 480, 590, 630, 660, 670, 810, 830, 850 and 1060 nm, each dimmable from 1 to 100%. Its 830 nm channel matches the most tested wavelength in the neck trials. Our face mask is a full-face shell that does not reach the neck, so neck sessions need the panel.
- Position: hang it on a door or wall with the included door hook, pulley, hanging cables and screws, at a height where the light reaches the neck and shoulders rather than the head.
- Aim: sit with your back to the panel for the whole back of the neck and both shoulders, or side-on to light one side, then turn. Never face the panel or aim it at your face.
- Eyes: goggles on before the panel switches on, eyes closed, and never look into the light. Our guide to red light therapy goggles explains why.
- Distance: about 12 inches for the broad neck and shoulder area, or 6 inches side-on for one tight spot such as the upper trapezius.
- Channels: 810, 830 and 850 nm lead; 630, 660 and 670 nm optional and lower; 480 nm at its lowest and 590 nm off. Use continuous light, with pulse off.
- Timer: 10 to 15 minutes per area. If no time is set, the panel stops at 5 minutes.
- Skin: bare skin. The surface stays at or below 40°C, so it should feel warm, never hot.
- Log: neck pain out of 10 and how far you can turn your head, before each session.
The trial lasers gave small doses at a few points. To stay nearer that range, start with a shorter timer (it begins at 1 minute), turn the near-infrared and red channels down from 100%, or step back to 12 inches.
Leave at least 6 hours between 30-minute sessions, and finish about 2 hours before bed. Keep your neck exercises going alongside. Goggles and a controller come in the box.
Standard shipping to the US, UK and Germany is free. Read the precautions before ordering: they include pregnancy, light-triggered seizures, broken skin and Fitzpatrick skin types V or VI. Under our return and refund policy, returns are accepted within 30 days: an unopened device with its seals intact is refunded less a 10% restocking fee, and an opened device that is undamaged and complete is refunded less 20%.
Kivorla devices are general wellness devices, not medical devices, and are not intended to treat neck pain. See a doctor for neck pain after an injury, with numbness or weakness in the arms, or pain that does not settle, and keep the exercises your physiotherapist has advised.