Is Color and Light Therapy an Effective Complementary Therapy for Oncology Patients? An Analysis of One Practitioner's Anecdotal Experiences

Abstract

Background: Color and light therapy has its roots in ancient medicine, although historical and medical implications have not been fully documented. Knowledge about the therapeutic value of color and light therapy has informed both ancient and contemporary medicine. This paper will discuss the author's experiences working with oncology patients using color and light therapy called colorpuncture and includes a preliminary analysis of its efficacy based on participants' reports and the practitioner's notes. Treatment sessions were offered at the now defunct Wellness Community in Boca Raton, Florida, a cancer support organization. The author studied colorpuncture founded by Peter Mandel, ND, a scientist and naturopathic healer who is the Director of the Mandel Clinic in Bruchsal, Germany. Materials and Methods: Educational lectures on the history of light therapy and application of colored light were provided for all interested participants who attended several educational presentations. All participants were invited to receive sessions without charge and were shown the acu-light therapy device used in treatments. All participants signed up for treatment sessions without committing to any specific treatment frequency. Sessions were held at the Wellness Community during 2004–2005. No Institutional Review Board application was filed, and permission was granted by the Clinical Director. All participants were given contact information to report adverse reactions or to share information with their physicians. Participants filled out surveys and completed reports that were sent to the practitioner. Each session lasted 45–60 minutes, and all participants received appropriate color and light therapy applications that addressed their individual health concerns. Participants were informed that all of their responses would be recorded and would be anonymous for any future publication. Results/Conclusion: Participants were treated with the application of colored light called colorpuncture for common oncology problems, including gastrointestinal problems, sleeplessness, anemia, balance difficulties, nausea, loss of appetite, depression, and so on. This noninvasive integrative medicine therapy was often described by patients as both “painless” and “relaxing.” Initial analysis based on participants' reports indicated that color and light has proven to be effective (anecdotally) in the reduction of common problems that people with cancer experience, including side effects from radiation and chemotherapy treatments: nausea, vomiting, anemia, pain (in general), and port pain (in particular). The author intends to conduct future research through a controlled trial to gather data on the efficacy of this integrative therapy utilizing her own technique called spectra-immunology™, which included the application of colored light therapies with energetic therapies.