Our health and wellness treatments are often predetermined by the healthcare industry, and tend to involve extensive surgery and costly medication that can be addictive. Brooke McKeever first experienced this after a neck injury she sustained in a car accident. After enduring multiple treatments, she decided to try light therapy, which turned out to be the best decision she could make. Her pain stopped, and she dedicated her life to providing the same technology that helped her to others suffering from chronic pain, and a multitude of other health ailments which light therapy has proven to help combat.
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The modern healthcare industry often leaves us feeling like our bodies are in a never ending battle against us. When it comes to pain management specifically, many individuals have been working to combat their ailments through addictive medications and surgery, only to be left feeling exactly the same.
Alternative medicine is a growing sector of healthcare that is giving people natural remedies for whatever they may be suffering from. One of the most up and coming forms of alternative medicine is the use of light therapy to treat pain, and assist the body in overall healing.
Brooke and Jeff McKeever founded UltraRed Light Therapy, a wellness clinic specializing in treating its clients with pulsating light, also known as Phototherapy. Both Brooke and Jeff have experienced the extensive benefits of light therapy after they separately experienced life-altering injuries that left them in constant pain.
After healing themselves through light therapy, the two started their own business on a mission to help alleviate as many people’s pain as possible.
“Our goal has always been to spread the word and success of light therapy, but more than anything we want people to know that it’s already available, and can provide a lot of relief for those who have endured pain management through more traditional means of healing and haven’t found a consistent solution.”
“I want more people to be aware of the fact that there is this non-toxic, non-addictive pain management solution with light that’s available, it’s just not widely accepted in hospitals, yet. We are here to change that and make light therapy accessible to all.”
Brooke began using a light machine in 2008 after a traumatic car accident. After a year and a half of rehabilitation and advice from three doctors that she would need surgery to fix the reversed curve in her neck with a metal implant, she took matters into her own hands. Surgery was not an option in her mind. Light therapy was so successful that she became a prolific presence in the field after her own recovery.
“Originally when I found out about this kind of therapy in the early 2000’s, I was so impressed with how quickly it was able to get my own pain under control. I never experienced such instant and long-term relief like I do with light therapy.
Before that, however, I endured every aspect of traditional pain management after my car accident; chiropractic medicine, physical therapy, massage, etc. and nothing seemed to give me that full sense of relief and control of my body again.
Additionally, becoming dependent on pain medication that didn’t even fully relieve my own issues made me into someone I didn’t recognize, which I think a lot of people can unfortunately relate to. You become this version of yourself that no longer wants to experience pain and go back to your normal life, but the medication you’re on prevents you from feeling like you can manage your day to day, it’s a failing cycle.
One of the reasons I was so attracted to trying light therapy is because I’ve always been interested in more natural and holistic forms of healing, and embracing the more natural remedies that the Earth has always provided us when it comes to our health. So when I was going through my own pain management after my accident, I knew I wanted to try any and every option available to me.
At this point, medically, I had already been labeled as permanently disabled due to the damage my body endured, and the state of recovery I was in. The doctors said I would never feel my right arm again, and to go ahead and get on disability, because that was now my life at 27-years-young.
Overall, it was such a traumatic experience, to be losing control of my body and to hear that the only solutions I had would be ones that would just make the pain more manageable. Then, I saw the light, literally.
After one month of using light therapy to soothe my body, I was able to wean myself off of every medication I was on to manage my pain, muscle spasms, and nerve damage. That’s a huge transition, from being told that your life is going to be all about managing pain to feeling almost as good as new without the help of medication within a month. I knew instantly that this was something that more people needed to know about!
Traditional outlets of medicine don’t typically offer alternative forms of treatment such as light therapy when it comes to pain management, or any sort of health issue really. When I made the choice to try out this avenue of healing I had to do it all on my own. My gut and intuition told me to try it, no professional even mentioned it as a potential option. So now my goal is to make it more of a known option for a multitude of individuals seeking medical treatment.”
“I know for a fact there are so many people out there who have found themselves in situations like mine, and even worse, and I want them to know that surgery and medication are not always the only options. This is not to discredit the amazing work that our healthcare system does for people, but it’s also important for every citizen to know their options, especially when it comes to their own health and wellbeing.”
“Our business is called UltraRed Light, but the scientific name for this type of treatment is known as ‘Photobiomodulation Therapy.’ The ‘photo’ part of the word refers to light being emitted, ‘bio’ refers to the fact that this therapy can be used on anything living, and the ‘modulation’ part of the word refers to how the light modulates systems in the body to reach a state of homeostasis, or equilibrium.”
Essentially, Photobiomodulation (PBM) uses light to provide energy to the body, which is then photochemically transformed into ATP, an energy molecule that all the cells in your body know how to use to carry out their specific functions. Think of our cells as a car, and ATP as the gas that makes them go. Through LED light emitting medical grade silicone pads, Brooke is able to provide safe, non-ionizing energy to the body which is then used to help the body heal itself, or fix internal imbalances.
“For example, say you have a sprained ankle and it’s swollen, when you use light therapy the swelling itself is more likely to increase temporarily, because the light is helping your tissues speed up the healing process and therefore the ankle will become inflamed before it can fully recover. The light is helping bring fresher blood and oxygen to the area to essentially assist your body’s natural healing process. We don’t eliminate the body’s natural healing process, we accelerate and optimize it.”
UltraRed Light Therapy is run by Brooke and her husband Jeff, who also learned about the amazing benefits of light therapy when he endured a spinal injury that would require surgery on three levels of his spine. Brooke and Jeff’s personal connection to this kind of pain management has given them an extreme compassion and drive to help as many people as possible get back to enjoying their regular pain-free lives. They’ve experienced first hand just how much of a difference this therapy can make, allowing them to empathize with every person who walks through their doors.
The business itself provides a slew of services utilizing Photobiomodulation, beyond just pain management. Typically, individuals hear about UltraRed Light through word of mouth, because as Brooke describes it, “it’s hard to market a product that can help with practically everything, but everyone knows someone in pain and almost everyone can benefit.”
Light therapy can be used to help aid in hair growth, fat burning, pain relief, and can even work on pets and horses who may be suffering from pain. McKeever explained that typically new clients come in for a 40-minute light therapy session as a part of their first time special. This session typically can cover 2-4 areas on the body that need treatment, so depending on what they specifically are coming in for, Brooke or one of her staff members will place the light pad on whatever area they may need to begin the healing process.
Brooke explained how she and her husband often act as detectives with their clients, taking time to listen to them to really find the source of their pain and overall discomfort. While the devices they use are FDA 510K approved medical devices, Brooke and Jeff are very clear that they themselves aren’t doctors, but their experience in healthcare, business, and science gives them the knowledge they need to help every client.
UltraRed Light Therapy isn’t always using only red light. Even though they use pulsed red and near infrared (NIR) light for about 90% of their clients, there are different wavelengths of light that can benefit the body for different ailments. Blue light pads are beneficial to improve toenail fungus, acne, and infected wounds that aren’t responding to more traditional forms of medicine. Violet light can be used for ailments that cause skin irritation/itching such as eczema or psoriasis. They also utilize green light to help assist with fat burning, which Brooke successfully tested on herself before they offered it as an option in their business.
One of the greatest aspects of UltraRed Light Therapy is the fact that it’s founded on empathy. Brooke and Jeff both experienced life altering injuries that they were able to manage through red light therapy, and they wouldn’t ever advertise their treatments unless they experienced first hand just how successful they could be. This personal connection also creates the space for a lot of compassion with their clients, making every individual feel safe and cared for when they’re in treatment.
“I’ve had tons of individuals say that after just a month of treatment their pain went from a 10/10 to a 2/10, without the use of any medication or addictive treatments. Light therapy doesn’t just work, it changes lives.”
Brooke explained the simple process that she goes through with her clients, which emphasize the level of care and compassion she has for every individual they treat at UltraRed Light Therapy.
“We typically offer our clients packages of treatments depending on their specific needs. On average we tend to go for a 10-session treatment package because that’s the average amount of sessions it takes to notice a consistent and long-lasting difference. Treatment times range from 40 minutes to an hour and a half, and we always try to make the environment as calming as possible.
We tell our clients all the time that they’ll likely get two nights of fantastically deep sleep after every treatment, which is also important because our body does so much repair and healing while we’re sleeping; so we also tend to urge our clients to take a nap while they’re receiving treatment.
The treatments are also cumulative, in the sense that we start with 2-3 sessions a week and then cut that down to one a week until the package is complete, and by the time all the sessions are over, your pain has improved and your life has changed.
We also offer rentals through our office for our LightMD equipment, so clients can rent out the supplies they need for a month at a time, and one of the greatest benefits of this is they can use the machines to help out their family, friends and neighbors.
We share our light anyway we can. This is important to us because more than anything, we want as many people as possible to know about this type of pain management and treatment in general.
Another way that we try to get the word out about this amazing technology is through selling our LightMD equipment to medical professionals like chiropractors, neurologists, and MD’s, so that more people can understand that this is a device that will benefit your health and wellbeing. There’s only so many people we can treat in our office in southern California, so renting out and selling our equipment makes it easier to reach our overall goal of bringing this type of therapy into the mainstream.”
Brooke’s passion for her business and the benefits of light therapy is truly astounding. She understands the invaluable feeling of being able to remove pain from your life and get back to living as your fully capable self.
For Brooke and Jeff, it’s about so much more than just treating clients, it’s about changing lives and giving people the opportunity to feel comfortable in their own skin, something every human being should experience.
“What we’d really like is for insurance companies, hospitals, and more MD’s to get behind this technology. LightMD has an advisory board that is made up of medical professionals who use and understand the technology even more within the past 15 years. So now, we just need more people to hear about it and view it as a valid healthcare treatment plan.
I’m very excited for where we are now and how far we’ve come with this technology, but I do think America has some more years before it starts advertising it fully embraces it as a treatment option. We currently have our sister company in Taiwan which offers light therapy in nearly every hospital in the country, so we know that the technology not only works, but is extremely successful in what it does. We need to bring that same open mindedness to this country when it comes to how we treat our bodies.”
More recently, Brooke described that their business has been able to help benefit new moms in their postpartum journeys.
“My best friend had her second baby born via C-section. I went to the hospital 12 hours later and did light therapy over her stomach and all the areas of her body that were worn down or in pain from the birth process, and four weeks later she was up and walking up hills. Most women take 8-12 weeks to feel fully ‘recovered’ after a C-section and some women deal with chronic issues of pain, numbness, and imbalance for the rest of their life after birth. To be able to help support these individuals after they brought life into the world and give them a newfound sense of control over their bodies again is indescribable.”
“We know we can be supportive and help transgender people and individuals heal after surgery, along with veterans suffering from chronic pain, PTSD, and mental distress as a result from their bravery. We’ve even helped individuals who deal with opioid addiction, specifically with people who’s addiction started when they were prescribed medication for pain, it’s just amazing how vast this technology is in terms of what it can help.”
Brooke concluded with some inspiring words about how we as human beings need to always look out for each other, especially when it comes to our health. Alternative medicine is the new frontier for healthcare, and it’s time more people begin to look at it seriously.
“There’s so much heartache and pain in the world, and there’s so many groups of people who often feel alone and isolated so to be able to provide even a little bit of relief for those individuals is an honor.
“It’s time that we start demanding alternative natural forms of healing in our healthcare industry. People are sick and tired of being sick and tired, and given a prescription for some new mystery pill that may or may not work and could still cost hundreds of dollars (even with insurance) for their pain to be relieved. The world of medicine and the technology within it is so large that if we look past what’s seen as ‘traditional,’ we might be able to heal ourselves naturally, we just need to create the space for it.”
To learn more about UltraRed Light Therapy, Brooke and Jeff, and the amazing work they’re able to do through Photobiomodulation, check out their website here!
Eric Mastrota is a Contributing Editor at The National Digest based in New York. A graduate of SUNY New Paltz, he reports on world news, culture, and lifestyle. You can reach him at eric.mastrota@thenationaldigest.com.
