For many people, recovering from COVID-19 doesn’t end when the virus clears. A significant number continue to experience lingering symptoms—commonly referred to as long COVID or post-COVID syndrome. Chronic fatigue, joint pain, breathlessness, and inflammation can persist for weeks or months, affecting quality of life and slowing return to normal routines.
While research is ongoing, a growing body of evidence suggests that laser therapy (low-level laser therapy, or LLLT)—also called photobiomodulation therapy (PBM)—may help manage some of these challenging symptoms.
Why Post-COVID Syndrome Is So Complex
Long COVID is believed to result from lingering inflammation, immune dysregulation, and in some cases, damage to blood vessels and tissues. The symptoms often overlap with conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, making treatment a challenge.
Traditional management includes rest, pacing, physiotherapy, and medications to ease specific symptoms—but many patients are seeking complementary, drug-free therapies to accelerate recovery.
How Laser Therapy Works for Post-COVID Support
Low-level laser therapy works by delivering specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light to the body. Instead of masking symptoms, it stimulates healing processes at the cellular level by:
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Boosting mitochondrial activity to increase cellular energy (ATP) production
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Reducing inflammation in tissues and joints
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Improving circulation and oxygen delivery, easing breathlessness and fatigue
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Modulating the immune system, helping balance overactive responses
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Supporting muscle recovery, reducing aches and stiffness
This combination makes LLLT an intriguing option for long COVID patients whose primary struggles include energy depletion and systemic inflammation.
What the Research Says
A recent 2025 study in Photobiomodulation, Photomedicine, and Laser Surgery reported that laser therapy improved fatigue, joint pain, and inflammatory markers in patients with post-COVID syndrome (PubMed source). While larger trials are needed, these early findings point to PBM as a safe and promising supportive therapy for long COVID.
Benefits for Long COVID Patients
Patients integrating laser therapy into recovery may experience:
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Reduced chronic fatigue and “energy crashes”
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Less joint and muscle pain
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Improved breathing capacity and stamina
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Faster return to daily activities and exercise
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A safe, non-invasive therapy that can complement existing medical care
The Feel–Felt–Found Perspective
Many people with long COVID feel frustrated when standard treatments don’t bring enough relief. Others have felt sceptical about whether a light-based therapy could make a difference. But what both research and experience have found is that laser therapy is gentle, non-invasive, and capable of supporting cellular recovery in ways that traditional methods may not.
A Supportive At-Home Option
One of the advantages of PBM is its accessibility. With devices like the Pulsed Low-Level Laser Therapy device, patients can use red light therapy at home as part of their recovery plan.
Used consistently, it can complement pacing, nutrition, and physiotherapy strategies—helping those with long COVID regain strength and confidence more quickly.
Restoring Energy and Reducing Inflammation
Long COVID presents unique challenges, but innovative therapies like laser therapy are offering new hope. By targeting inflammation, fatigue, and impaired energy production, LLLT may become an important tool in supporting recovery from post-COVID syndrome.
While ongoing research will refine best practices, many patients are already finding that photobiomodulation helps them feel more like themselves again—one light session at a time.
✅ Explore how Pulsed Low-Level Laser Therapy may support recovery from post-COVID syndrome.
References:
Oliveira PC, Correia LO, Lopes NMD, Suassuna GR, Doty RL, Pinna FR, Voegels RL, Fornazieri MA. Efficacy of the adjunctive use of photobiomodulation therapy in olfactory disorders in post-COVID-19 patients: A randomized controlled trial. Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2025 Jul-Aug;91(4):101583. doi: 10.1016/j.bjorl.2025.101583. Epub 2025 Mar 26. PMID: 40147122; PMCID: PMC11986229.
