Overview

Chromotherapy, or color therapy, is the use of color or colored light for therapeutic purposes. There is no standard education or training for practitioners of chromotherapy. Chromotherapy is not a licensed health practice in North America.

Chromotherapy is used for depression, stress, fatigue, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

Chromotherapy practitioners believe that color can be used to correct energy imbalances which are the cause of disease. A chromotherapist applies specific colors or lights to specific points on the body called "chakras". Different colors have different effects. For example, red is thought to increase pulse rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate. Therefore, it is often used for circulatory conditions. Blue is believed to cause relaxation and calm. Therefore, blue is used for headaches, pain, cramping, stress, and other conditions. There is no reliable scientific support for these beliefs.

How does it work ?

Chromotherapy practitioners believe that color can be used to correct energy imbalances which are the cause of disease. A chromotherapist applies specific colors or lights to specific points on the body called "chakras". Different colors have different effects. For example, red is thought to increase pulse rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate. Therefore, it is often used for circulatory conditions. Blue is believed to cause relaxation and calm. Therefore, blue is used for headaches, pain, cramping, stress, and other conditions. There is no reliable scientific support for these beliefs.

Uses & Effectiveness

Insufficient Evidence for

More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of chromotherapy for these uses.

Side Effects



Special Precautions and Warnings



Chromotherapy is POSSIBLY SAFE when used appropriately. No side effects of chromotherapy have been reported.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Not enough is known about the use of chromotherapy during pregnancy and breast-feeding. But so far there's no reason to believe that it might be harmful in women who are pregnant or breast-feeding.

Interactions

We currently have no information for Chromotherapy overview.

Dosing

The appropriate or safe use of chromotherapy depends on several factors such as the condition being treated or the person administering the treatment. Be sure to seek and follow relevant directions from your physician or other healthcare professional before using this treatment.
View References
Show More Show Less

CONDITIONS OF USE AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This information is meant to supplement, not replace advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and is not meant to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions or adverse effects. This information may not fit your specific health circumstances. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor or health care professional before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your health care plan or treatment and to determine what course of therapy is right for you.

This copyrighted material is licensed from Therapeutic Research Center, LLC. Information from this source is evidence-based and objective, and without commercial influence. For professional medical information on natural medicines, see Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Professional Version.
Licensed from Therapeutic Research Center, LLC
Copyright © 1995-2025 by Therapeutic Research Center, LLC. All Rights Reserved.