No Needles Please
Vaccines, a fairly straightforward affair of having a needle inserted somewhere in our body and administering the contents of whatever vial was prepared. It’s not difficult but many around the world fear this process. I personally dislike needles and will purposely look away before the inevitable poke and plunge. The pain varies every single time and nurses are usually well aware. It’s normal to be afraid and adverse to injections. What I did not know is that there is a medical term for phobias towards needles and similar medical procedures. The term is referred to as trypanophobia and can manifest various symptoms such as anxiety, panic attacks, extreme behaviour and more. Others simply cannot afford the pain and repair process of injections due to medical conditions. Modern day technology from Netherlands based researchers presents a possibly painless way to administer injections without the scary part altogether.
Laser technology can be used to rapidly shift chemicals from the outer layer of the skin and proposes a painless approach. Rapid heating and bubbles travel at high speeds and is able to penetrate the membrane of the skin without the requirement of needle provided pilot opening. If successful, this means the future of injection procedures may change with various benefits. Those with health complications may make use of the novel approach without dangerous consequence and others may be able to wave away phobias for good. The company further highlights the improved safety and hygiene benefits this offers, avoiding cross contamination and reduction in hazardous disposals.
Medical technology continues to develop at impressive speeds and I have come to enjoy reading about some of the open source medical solutions that bright minds have created over the last few years. Access to 3D printing has been a great asset and medical services.
https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/virtually-painless-needle-free-injections-developed-netherlands-2021-10-13/
https://www.healthline.com/health/trypanophobia#symptoms