Electronic Medicine

Pacemakers already do wonders treating heart conditions with electricity. What if electrical stimulation could treat other medical problems? DARPA is developing its Electrical Prescriptions (ElectRx) system to prevent and treat inflammation, chronic pain, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Instead of using pills or injections, ElectRx deploys electrical stimulation to get the nervous system working right. It artificially modulates the body's essential peripheral nerves, prompting them to do their job of monitoring our health and initiating healing. It also might be useful for fighting diseases like diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, which disrupt the nervous system's ability to prompt healing after injury or infection.

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[Image courtesy of DARPA]