New Ultrasound Device Offers Chronic Pain Relief

Chronic pain affects around 20% of the global population and poses significant challenges in treatment, often relying on medications, including opioids, which have major side effects. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University are developing a noninvasive neuromodulation technology called transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS), which safely and reversibly modulates brain circuits to alleviate pain. Meanwhile, a new FDA-approved implantable spinal cord stimulator, Inceptiv™, automatically adjusts stimulation to block pain signals, offering hope to chronic pain sufferers. Another device, Diadem, also utilizes low-intensity ultrasound to stimulate deep brain regions and disrupt faulty pain signals, showing promising results in clinical trials with significant pain relief reported. These advancements indicate a growing focus on non-pharmacologic solutions to manage chronic pain effectively.