If you’re living with a chronic illness, staying up with the latest advances offers you an earlier chance at potential relief. What new technology exists, and how can it help you manage your condition?
Many devices now make clinical treatments possible at home. You can also track your progress, keeping more accurate records to share with your doctor. Here’s how technology is revolutionizing chronic condition management.
New Technology to Help With Chronic Condition Management
1. A Better Massage — at Home
Chronic back and neck pain plague countless Americans and are among the leading causes of disability. Professional massage therapy helps, but who can afford $150 per treatment or more, at least at frequent enough intervals to make a difference?
Fortunately, technology has revolutionized this modality with better home massage devices. Some feature long handles and multiple attachments to let you hit every sore spot, even in the middle of your back. For example, the Therabody Theragun Prime has a unique triangular handle for maximum dexterity. These gadgets let you enjoy daily treatments if desired, saving your hard-earned cash for an occasional live session.
2. Electrifying Chronic Pain
TENS stands for transdermal electrical nerve stimulation, which sends tiny currents to your muscles to relax them. Devices were once available only to clinicians, but you can now pick up basic OTC units for around $100.
Those living with chronic illness can now find such gadgets geared to their disorders. For example, the Cefaly device uses high-frequency eTNS to block pain signals to the trigeminal nerve during acute migraine attacks. Additionally, a lower-frequency prevent function gradually desensitizes this nerve to reduce overall pain frequency and severity.
3. Biofeedback Without the Appointment
Biofeedback harnesses the mind-body connection to improve health. You might not notice the subtle changes that happen in your body in response to your emotions and outside stimuli. However, when you are under pain or stress, various functions change, including heart rate, muscle tension and respiration.
Tuning into your physical cues, breathing into them and making slight changes can lower your heart rate and ease muscle tension that spurs an inflammatory response and greater pain. Training your body takes time and doing so at home makes it more convenient.
While professionals use expensive devices that cost tens of thousands of dollars, you can get similar results at home for a fraction of the price and can use your gadget as often as you wish to improve results. For example, the Muse sensor has seven EEG sensors that monitor your brain waves.
4. Keeping Track of Your Results
It’s frustrating to go to the doctor sometimes. Physician bias can result in substandard care if your provider mistakenly believes you exaggerate your symptoms to gain sympathy.
However, today’s apps track changes in multiple daily functions — including your heart rate, sleep cycle and breathing patterns — for a more in-depth look at your health. While the evidence isn’t a failsafe, presenting it to your doctor might make them take your complaint more seriously. Apple Watch and Fitbit are two of the most well-known brands, although you can find lesser-known products with various functionalities at lower prices.
Technology and Living With Chronic Illness
Living with chronic illness can be exhausting — and expensive. Traditional treatments can cost a bundle. Fortunately, technology is here to help, with innovative solutions that revolutionize condition management. Pick up one of these gadgets today to better manage your health.
