The opioid epidemic in America has long been a topic of discussion when it comes to addressing pain management. In 2017, two million people mis-used prescription painkillers for the first time and nearly 50,000 people died from an overdose.

Athletes remain a big risk for opioid addiction. Because they are regularly at risk of injuring themselves with their hobby or profession, they are more likely to induce pain-related injuries than the average, able-bodied individual. A study from the University of Michigan found that high school athletes were twice as likely to be prescribed prescription painkillers than non-athlete adolescents.

Today, the war on narcotics is waging, and while new regulations seek to cut down on how healthcare providers administer drugs, new healthcare startups are using advanced technology to create solutions of their own.

“Using decades of clinical research on vital fields and EMF, we created the WaveLife Energy Cell as a non-addictive alternative to traditional pain management solutions,” says Jan Wellmann, CEO of WaveLife. “Our hope is that we build awareness around a spiraling issue and decrease the reliance on opioids.”

To date, there are few revolutionary technologies backed by credible research and lab reports. Preliminary tests on anonymized chips revealed that the WaveLife Energy Cell was significantly more effective than uninformed anonymized chips. You can read more about various testing results here.

Why Athletes Are at Higher Risk
Roughly 11% of high school athletes have used prescription narcotics for non-medical purposes. All it takes is one pill for anyone to become enamored by the eurporic, pain-relieving properties of opioids. From high school athletes to professional athletes, the risk of addiction is strong.

Ray Lucas, a quarterback who played for the New England Patriots and several other teams during a 7-year NFL tenure, relied on prescription painkillers to manage his pain after several injuries required complicated and expensive surgery that wasn’t covered by insurance. At the beginning of his addiction, he was taking 125 pills per month, and by the end, he was taking more than 1,400 pills on a monthly basis—more than enough to kill the average person.

Addiction doesn’t discriminate, and addiction among athletes often begins innocently enough with a legitimate prescription for a sports-related injury. The fact is, an athlete’s brain may already be primed for addiction because of rigorous training and routine. For example, if an athlete is accustomed to intense play and workout and is forced to halt that routine because of an injury, they are no longer getting the exercise that produces endorphins released during training. This can lead to withdrawal from a systemized schedule and lifestyle, and increase dependability on drugs.

This is exactly what happened to Sam Rayburn, a former defensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles. After retiring, Rayburn was committed into custody after he attempted to forge a prescription for a controlled substance. At the time of his arrest, he was taking nearly 100 Percocets per day.

Athletes face increasing pressure to be successful from coaches, family, and fans. Those burdened with high expectations are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety, and may seek relief from opioids or other drugs.

And lastly, sports organizations aren’t always looking out for their athletes best interests. In fact, many coaches have provided their athletes with the drugs necessary to help them push through pain and perform optimally. When these athletes are viewed as short-term profit, little is invested in their long-term health.

What’s Behind the Technology
The WaveLife Energy Cell utilizes vital fields and EMF technology in a wearable patch. The wearer simply needs to apply the patch to the pain point to experience pain relief within hours or days. How long they need to wear the patch depends on the severity of the injury.

Vital fields are everywhere, all around us. These vibrating frequencies allow all living systems to transfer energy and information that help protect the body’s cells against injury, trauma, stress, and toxins. By harnessing the power of these low-emission frequencies, people are able to experience pain relief. And furthermore, by mimicking naturally-occuring vital fields, WaveLife is able to alleviate pain, inflammation, allergies, and various other sensitivities.

Franz Klammer, a 25-time World Cup winner and downhill ski Olympic champion, used the Energy Cell to manage chronic pain from sports injuries. “With this new Vital Fields technology, it took less than 10 minutes to find out where my weaknesses are and where I needed therapy,” he says. “Within three or four days, I could bend my knee and feel completely pain-free.”

Awareness is Key
It can be very difficult for athletes to find pain relief without compromising their ability to perform. Understanding the risks drastically undercuts the chance of falling into addiction. Healthy habits and non-addictive pain management is the best way to take care of yourself, and this is important to keep in mind if you find yourself in a toxic athletic environment that promotes the use of narcotics behind the scenes. Every athlete is responsible for their health and can maintain their innate power by making smart decisions about how they manage pain and stress.