Medical device could help fight opioid epidemic in US

A medical device used to treat chronic pain through low-level ultrasound could help fight the opioid crisis in the US.

The PainShield device, developed by medical device company NanoVibronix, is a drug free wearable that emits a slow release ultrasound that targets the cause of nerve and soft tissue pain.

PainShield is being backed by former Major League Baseball professional, Mariano Rivera, who became interested in the device after his wife began suffering from back pain. Speaking to Fox News, Rivera said that his wife’s symptoms began to improve when she started using the device.

After this, Rivera pitched PainShield to president Trump as a new way to fight the opioid addiction in the US.

“We’re fighting opioids, but we don’t know what we’re going to do after that. The best thing is using our product, [which] is safe and handy. We have to move toward alternatives.” Rivera said.

The device could be used to combat pain, potentially negating the need for opioids and reducing the number of potential addictions,

In 2017, the opioid crisis was announced as a public health emergency by the US Department of Health and Human Services. In 2016 there were over 63,000 drug overdose deaths in the US, according to the National Centre for Health Statistics