Smartphone pain therapy trials to begin

Wednesday June 12th, 2019

British scientists have developed a phone app to help people suffering from chronic pain, it was announced today.

The smartphone app has been designed to connect to goggles that flash light at a special frequency - ten cycles per second, known as alpha frequency - that the Manchester researchers believe may be able to alleviate pain.

The scientists, led by Professor Anthony Jones of the University of Manchester, UK, discovered the special properties of this frequency during previous work. They believe this could become a “ground-breaking treatment for chronic pain”.

In a statement today (12 June), Professor Jones said: “We hope this work will be good news for up to 40 % of the UK’s population - rising to 62% in the over 75s – who suffer from chronic pain.

“These exciting technologies are a simple, safe and harmless and have exciting potential to allow patients with chronic pain to treat themselves in the comfort of their own homes.

“For many, it will for the first time they are given control of their condition. We think these technologies could be used either in addition or instead of their current pain therapies.

“But to allow us to move on to the next stage, we need volunteers who are willing to work with us to try the technology so we can develop it further.”

The team are testing the light therapy, as well as audio treatment with two similar ‘binaural’ tones, and ‘neurofeedback’ treatment using a wearable EEG cap that allows the wearer to increase activity in certain brain regions.

They are recruiting volunteers with any chronic pain condition except cancer to take part.

Tags: Brain & Neurology | Pain Relief | UK News

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