Jessie Owen was traveling with her family twelve years ago when, while passing through a mountain pass, a tree fell on their car.
“At that point, my parents died, my siblings were seriously injured, and I became a quadriplegic,” Owen told ABC News. “I lost my independence. I lost my job. I lost my apartment. I lost my autonomy and the life I dreamed of.”
But thanks to a brand new device — approved by the Food and Drug Administration on Dec. 19 — she can move her hands and arms again.
Onward Therapy, the manufacturer of the ARC-EX therapy device, explains that the non-invasive device works via electrodes placed on the back of the neck.
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“It allows us to pass current through the skin to activate sensory nerves as they enter the spinal cord. These sensory nerves make direct connections to the motor nerves that help people move,” Dr. Chet Moritz, a professor of rehabilitation medicine at the University of Washington, told ABC News.
Owen, who took part in a clinical trial of the device, told the paper: “I was very surprised and pleased to see that it made a significant difference in my life. Now I can paint with my hands. I can open a jar of peanut butter. I can tie my shoes .”
According to clinical trial results, 72% of participants noted an improvement in hand and arm strength and function — leading to a “significant improvement in quality of life.” Participants also reported “a reduction in the frequency and severity of muscle spasms, improved sleep quality and reduced pain,” leading to a “significant improvement in general well-being.”
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As Owen explained, “That [used to] it takes me 30 minutes to get dressed. Now it takes 12. [I used to require] 20 hours of care a week and I was able to cut down to about eight.”
“I kept coming back to work and found that I could give more to other people,” she said. “The first indicator of success I noticed was my own happiness. It works and gives us hope and passion.”
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Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education