Green Eyeglasses Reduce Pain-Related Anxiety in Fibromyalgia Patients, Study Shows

AHA Publisher — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 07:00:52 +0000

American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) via Newswise – NEW ORLEANS — Wearing special green eyeglasses for several hours a day reduces pain-related anxiety and may help decrease the need for opioids to manage severe pain in fibromyalgia patients and possibly others who experience chronic pain, according to a study being presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2022 annual meeting. “Our research found that certain wavelengths of green light stimulate the pathways in the brain that help manage pain,” said Padma Gulur, M.D., lead author of the study and executive vice chair of Duke Anesthesiology and Duke Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. “There is an urgent need for additional treatments to reduce the use of opioids among patients with fibromyalgia and other types of chronic pain, and green eyeglasses could provide an easy-to-use, non-drug option.” Few alternatives to opioids — especially non-drug options — exist for patients with severe and chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia, which causes pain all over the body. Fibromyalgia affects about 4 million U.S. adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pain and anxiety share similar biological mechanisms. Additionally, fear of pain exacerbates anxiety, often leading to increased opioid use, said Dr. Gulur. The researchers studied 34 fibromyalgia patients who were randomized to wear various shades of eyeglasses four hours a day for two weeks: 10 patients wore blue eyeglasses, 12 wore clear eyeglasses and 12 wore green eyeglasses. Patients who wore green eyeglasses were four times more likely to have reduced anxiety than those in the other groups, which saw no reduction in anxiety. “We found that although their pain scores remained the same, those who wore the green eyeglasses used fewer opioids, demonstrating that their pain was adequately controlled,” said Dr. Gulur. “We would recommend the green eyeglasses treatment for those with fibromyalgia and are studying patients with other chronic pain conditions to determine if it would be beneficial.” The eyeglasses are specially formulated to filter a specific wavelength on the green light spectrum, said Dr. Gulur. She noted that most patients who wore the green eyeglasses reported feeling better and asked to keep wearing them. To read the original article click here.

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Migraine Device Wins 2021 MedTech Breakthrough Award

AHA Publisher — Fri, 28 May 2021 07:00:18 +0000

Abigail Klein Leichman via Israel21c – The Nerivio therapeutic wearable for treating migraine pain won the “Best New Technology Solution for Pain Management” award in the fifth annual MedTech Breakthrough Awards program that attracted more than 3,850 nominations from 17 countries. Nerivio is made by Netanya-based Theranica, a prescribed digital therapeutics company developing advanced electroceuticals for migraine and other pain conditions. The FDA-approved device uses remote electrical neuromodulation to activate the body’s native conditioned pain modulation mechanism to treat headache and other symptoms associated with migraine. The treatment is personalized through the Nerivio app (iPhone and Android), which also includes an interactive migraine diary to track treatment sessions and symptoms. “Migraine is the third most prevalent disorder in the world and affects approximately 1 billion people,” said James Johnson, managing director, MedTech Breakthrough, an independent market intelligence organization that recognizes the top companies, technologies and products in the global health and medical technology market. “Nerivio addresses this challenging condition by encompassing the best elements of MedTech solutions, including a true digital health non-invasive treatment approach that deploys an innovative mechanism of action and an accompanying app that controls the device while enabling patients to track and manage their migraines,” he said. Since being launched, Nerivio has treated more than 100,000 migraines in over 14,000 patients, by prescription. “A true advancement in digital health, Nerivio is changing the traditional migraine treatment paradigm and will continue to positively impact patients, by providing pain relief and enabling people get back to life,” said Alon Ironi, CEO and cofounder of Theranica. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Israel21c click here.

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managing pain Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Green Eyeglasses Reduce Pain-Related Anxiety in Fibromyalgia Patients, Study Shows

Migraine Device Wins 2021 MedTech Breakthrough Award