Sophie Okolo, MPH

An estimated 50 million Americans experience chronic pain, and that’s just over 20 percent of the population. Chronic pain isn’t widely understood, and techniques to combat it are generally centered on medicating.

So how do we tackle the problem? Thanks to modern technology, there’s now wearable technology that comes in a variety of forms. The sporting community has been using wearable technology to help with pain for years. Companies such as KT tape market technologies like knee supports and electromagnetic back pain relief, also used by chronic pain sufferers. Here are some technologies for chronic pain.

Electrotherapy

Electrotherapy devices use low voltage electrical currents to help with the pain. It’s not clear how these devices work, but it’s generally thought that they either block nerve pain or change your body’s perception of it. It’s even thought that using these machines to stimulate nerves can help with other conditions such as depression, anxiety, and insomnia.

So what’s on the market? The TENS machine is probably the most popular and most notable used to treat joint and muscle pain. You can wear the iTENS machine under your clothes and control it via an app. There’s also the QUELL tech that slips onto your leg for relief of chronic leg, foot, and knee pain. Plus, it’s the only TENS machine that’s approved for use during sleep. 

Light Therapy

Light therapy does what it says on the tin. It uses light energy at different intensities to relieve pain. This type of Light therapy uses light energy at different intensities to relieve pain. This type of therapy can also help to reduce inflammation and promote circulation. Some medical-grade tech has been found to support a wide range of medical conditions such as fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. Also, light therapy is quick and easy to use.

An example of light therapy tech is Solio Alfa Plus. It’s not exactly wearable as you slip it on your hand and move it over affected areas. But it’s really easy to use, and customer reviews say it’s effective for should, hip, and lower back pain.

Vibration 

These devices use vibration to reduce pain, and it’s been found that it’s also helpful to relieve muscle tension and improve the speed of tissue recovery. 

Vibration tech like VibraCool has been well tried and tested, and it has a good reputation in the sports community to help with the pain. VibraCool combines vibration therapy with cold therapy, which is known to help muscular and joint pain. There’s also the OskaPulse which gives off electromagnetic pulses to relieve any muscle or tissue pain. The technology is wearable, and it can’t be overused. 

The Bottom Line

What’s even better is these technologies will continue to improve. And hopefully, as more research into pain is done, they’ll become more accessible through medical professionals as an alternative to being heavily medicated.