How the tech industry is changing the way we treat chronic pain

Drug-free alternatives now exist

It’s estimated that one in five Australians live with chronic pain. Image: Pexels

Despite almost 50 years of research into chronic pain management, the way the medical industry treats and responds to people’s physical suffering has remained relatively unchanged. Or at least that was until the tech industry showed up, writes Katy Hall.

Whether it’s daily headaches, period cramps, endometriosis, a lingering injury or one of the many other forms of ongoing physical discomfort, chronic pain is something that is all too familiar to far too many of us. 

But despite decades’ worth of evidence repeatedly showing painkillers are rarely the most effective way to treat chronic pain, until recently, they’ve remained a steadfast go-to in the absence of any other affordable quick-fix options. But all of that’s changing thanks to innovative companies and the rise of wearable tech. 

Using transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), a treatment technique that’s been around since the 1970s, tech companies like Therabody and Vush are creating wearable tech devices that can dramatically improve a person’s pain and are a drug-free alternative. 

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“What’s so great about the wearable tech option is that it can provide the pain relief that people need to get by and do the activities they would normally do and the things that maintain our healthy neural networks in the brain without anyone knowing you’re wearing it,” says Dr Jane Chalmers, a senior lecturer in pain sciences at the University of South Australia.  

With millions of sales globally, the wearable medical devices industry is officially booming. But why did it take so long to get here, and how is a vibrating stick-on patch more effective than painkillers? 

What is chronic pain? 

In a nutshell, normal pain becomes chronic pain when the discomfort lasts longer than three months or sits outside of what would be considered a normal healing period for an injury. Some illnesses or medical conditions like endometriosis and migraines can be classified as chronic pain, depending on the frequency and periods of pain an individual experiences. 

Currently, it’s estimated that one in five Australians live with chronic pain, with women experiencing it at higher rates than men. In addition to reporting that pain limited their ability to live comfortably, people living with chronic pain were also found to be 2.7 times more likely to receive pain medication than those not living with chronic pain. 

Painkillers aren't always the answer when it comes to chronic pain. Image: iStock

The major issue with that last statistic is that evidence has long shown that painkillers aren’t actually all that effective at treating chronic or long-term pain. 

“Painkillers work in different ways, but most of them are opioids, and they change chemical processes within our brain to help reduce pain. The problem with that is that they’re a short-term fix and usually highly addictive, so they don’t actually fix the underlying problem. You also tend to develop a tolerance for them, which makes them really dangerous,” Chalmers says.  

And recent research further backs this up.  In June, Australian researchers revealed that in a randomised controlled trial treating lower back pain and neck pain with opioids and a placebo, patients treated with the placebo experienced better health outcomes. 

How does a TENS machine treat chronic pain? 

Applying a TENS machine to the area of your body where you feel pain, tiny pulses of electrical currents stimulate the nerves to relieve pain in a way that’s almost a distraction for the brain. 

As Chalmers explains, while many of us believe pain comes directly from an injury site, that’s actually not correct. Using the example of stubbing your toe, Chalmers says the injured tissue will immediately send a message to the brain via nerves and the spinal cord to let the brain know that something is going on, but ultimately, it’s the brain that decides how the body should respond. What’s more, if you grab your toe and rub it, you’ll likely feel better because adding a new sensation to the area - physical touch - distracts the brain. The pulses from a TENS machine work in much the same way. 

“When someone is experiencing period pain, for example, the tissues of the uterus and the pelvic area send information through the nerves and the spinal cord up to the brain for the brain to work out what it needs to do. But the brain can only take in so much information at a time, so TENS essentially works by activating different nerves in the same area that sends different information to the brain and distracts it.” 

Wearable TENS machines from brands like Vush are changing the pain management game. Image: Supplied

Chalmers adds that in changing the information the brain receives, “TENS is doing a similar thing to painkillers, but it’s doing it peripherally and from the body rather than the brain itself.”

What’s more, a TENS machine avoids all of the known risks associated with long-term opiate-based painkiller use, like developing a tolerance or experiencing addiction and withdrawal. 

Why aren’t TENS machines used more commonly to treat chronic pain? 

Throughout the world, painkillers are routinely used to treat chronic pain despite over 40 years’ worth of solid evidence showing they offer varying effectiveness and can be highly addictive. Chalmers says there are a number of reasons for this and that there’s not a simple either-or solution to the long-running problem. 

“I think it’s really important for people to know that recovery from persistent or chronic long-term pain can’t be done with a quick fix. It takes time and energy and requires work to remedy the underlying problem.” 

Most commonly, this includes a combination of passive and active treatments over a long period of time. This can include things like anti-inflammatories, painkillers or wearable tech, as well as physical health treatments like surgery, rehab and physio, as well as prioritising mental health. 

“We know that pain is produced by the brain 100 per cent of the time, and that means that our brain doesn’t always get it right. And over time, with chronic pain, our brain can become overly sensitive and start making us experience pain even when our body isn’t necessarily in danger.” 

In addressing chronic pain from both a physical and a mental perspective, the likelihood of a successful recovery from or management of pain is far greater. But it’s also a seriously costly and time-consuming option, and it’s easy to see why people opt for the quick and affordable fix of painkillers, even if it is temporary.   

But with wearable tech becoming more accessible and relatively affordable, TENS machines mark a big win not just for the tech industry but also for the millions of people who experience chronic pain and want a non-opiate option. 

Set to be worth almost $300 billion dollars by 2027, the era of wearable medical devices may be long overdue, but as it’s often said, better late than never.

Originally published as How the tech industry is changing the way we treat chronic pain