Technology is such a life saver. Literally. While most of us use it to check how many likes we got on a picture previously posted on Facebook or to discover nicer ways of taking better selfies, the cream of the human population is busy bringing together innovative ideas, creativity and the advances in technology to come up with newer ways of saving the lives of many. Research is being carried out for quicker diagnoses and better treatment options. As important as it may be, in the quest for discovering cures and achieving remarkable feats, researchers have often ignored the common problems in life that need to be confronted as well. Here’s how technology really outdid itself and helped the medical field do a better job in this regard:
1. Electronic Aspirin
Aspirin has so many uses; it has become one of the most commonly used drugs in the world. But to take an aspirin every time that surge of soreness appears or that migraine attack decides to pay a visit is a pain in itself. For this reason, electronic aspirin is now gaining popularity among its most frequent consumers, particularly migraine patients. A nerve stimulating device is implanted in the upper gums, the side determined by the incidence of the headache. The lead tip touches the nerve bundle that is thought to be responsible for the pain. When the patient touches the implant with the remote or holds it very near, signals are transmitted that stimulate the nerve bundle and consequently, block the pain causing neurotransmitters.
2. Electric underwear
The creation of the electric underwear was pure genius. Bed sores are a lot more common than we’d like to think they are. If a patient is unable to move for months or even a couple of weeks, bed sores are a common occurrence. And they can cause deaths. The electric underwear sends an electric charge every ten minutes that creates an effect similar to movement of the body. This prevents bed sores by activating the muscles and improving the blood supply of the area.
3. Needle-free glucometer
Checking the blood glucose using a glucometer is not a pain-free task. It involves the usage of a needle and pricking is necessary to draw the blood for the testing. Well, not anymore! With the latest technology, blood sugar can now be tested via a transdermal biosensor that eliminates the need for drawing blood, instead, the toothbrush type device is held close to the skin and the test completed. The signals are sent directly to a monitor that collects the data.
4. Pollen vaccines
Allergy against pollen is the most common type in the world, but unfortunately, not a lot of effective vaccines are available for it, mostly because they need to be injected, rather than ingested orally. This is because the digestive system is too cruel to it and the acids render it useless. The injected ones break down and are not good enough. So to cater to this problem and save the lives of many, researchers have come up with a vaccine that is actually the shell of pollen with its allergens removed and filled with vaccine. Thus combining the two, they now have a resistant and effective vaccine for the pollen allergy. More info Here.
