3 Pieces of Medical Equipment that Will Improve Many Lives in the Future

Whether you have a chronic illness, are considering a career in healthcare, or simply love learning about the latest technology, then you will be excited to hear that medical equipment technology is advancing rapidly. Unlike advances in cell phone or home automation technology that simply make life easier, advances in medical technology can actually save many lives and help the healthcare professionals who help save lives perform their jobs more quickly and accurately. 

While there are many new and emerging pieces of medical equipment that will likely be used in hospitals and other healthcare facilities in the near future, read on to learn about three interesting ones. 

1. New Contact Lens Will Allow Diabetics to Stop Pricking Their Fingers

Living with diabetes can be tough, and it is important for every diabetic to monitor their blood glucose level to ensure their blood sugar doesn't become too high or too low. While how often a person living with diabetes is directed by their doctor to measure their blood glucose level varies from patient to patient, currently, measuring blood sugar at home relies on "pricking" a finger or arm to draw a drop of blood that is then transferred into a blood glucose testing device. 

Some people with diabetes measure their blood sugar every day or even several times each day, so those "pricks" can become a large nuisance in their lives. 

A new piece of medical equipment being developed by a large technology company may change the lives of many people living with diabetes. This device is actually a contact lens that measures the blood glucose level of a person with diabetes through their tears. 

This device will not only make life easier for people with diabetes, but it could also help save their lives; if an upward or downward surge in blood sugar occurs during a time when a diabetic doesn't typically measure their blood sugar, they will be notified via a sensor and can immediately take steps to prevent or treat a medical emergency. 

2. Virtual Reality Will Be Introduced into Many Medical Schools

The more well-trained medical providers are, the greater their abilities to help save the lives of patients by detecting illnesses and knowing how to treat them properly. While today's doctors are great at what they do, currently, there is only so much hands-on learning that can be done in a medical school before a student doctor begins the more hands-on part of their education called a "residency." 

However, many technology companies are currently working medical equipment that brings virtual reality into the classrooms of medical students, and some of this equipment is already being used in some medical schools today. When a medical student is engulfed into a virtual reality environment, they can practice performing lifesaving operations that would have been impossible to get "practice" in before, which means that the chance of success may increase when they need to perform the operation on a real person in the future. 

3. Implantable Medical Device Could Stop Migraine Pain in Its Tracks

While most adults tend to get an occasional headache, there are, unfortunately, a large number of people in the United States who suffer from chronic migraines. Eleven million people in the United States get so many migraine headaches that they are actually considered to have moderate to severe medical disabilities. While there are over-the-counter headache remedies and prescription migraine medications that work for some migraine sufferers, many people simply don't respond to the medications or only experience occasional relief from them. 

Thankfully, a new piece of medical equipment is being developed that could greatly improve the lives of all chronic migraine sufferers. This device is a small neurostimulator that is implanted into the mouth, under the upper gum line, of a person who experiences severe migraine headaches.

The tip of the device is connected to a nerve-dense area of the face. To use the device, a separate hand-held controller is used to activate it when a person senses the first sign of an impending migraine. When activated, the device stimulates the facial nerves to block the nerves that are causing migraine pain. 

If you need medical equipment to help with a continual health issue, talk with your doctor to learn about the various options you may have. After all, medical technology is continually advancing!


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