Chinese Startup Uses Ultrasound to Treat Pain Without Surgery

Imagine treating chronic pain without pills, needles, or surgery. That future just got closer.

Gestala, a new startup based in Chengdu, China, is building a device that uses focused ultrasound waves to stimulate the brain and reduce pain. CEO Phoenix Peng says the technology could help millions of people suffering from conditions that have been difficult to treat with traditional methods.

Here's how it works: high-frequency sound waves target specific brain regions involved in how we experience pain. Pilot studies have already shown promising results. When researchers stimulated the anterior cingulate cortex (the part of the brain that processes the emotional side of pain), patients felt relief for up to a week.

The first device will look like a benchtop machine in hospitals. Patients would visit a clinic for treatments, similar to getting physical therapy. Several hospitals in China have already expressed interest in testing the technology.

The second version will be even better. Gestala plans to create a wearable helmet that patients can use at home under their doctor's guidance, making treatment more convenient and accessible.

Beyond pain, the company has bigger goals. They want to expand the technology to treat depression, help stroke patients recover, support people with Alzheimer's disease, and improve sleep disorders.

Ultrasound treatments aren't entirely new. Doctors already use focused ultrasound for conditions like Parkinson's disease and certain tumors. But Gestala's approach to accessing the entire brain represents a major step forward.

Peng previously founded NeuroXess, which develops implantable brain devices. His shift to ultrasound came from recognizing its advantages. Traditional brain-computer interfaces only access small brain areas, while ultrasound could potentially reach the whole brain without any surgical risks.

The Bright Side

What makes this technology especially exciting is what it avoids. No implants mean no surgery, no infection risks, and no invasive procedures. People who've been living with chronic pain often face difficult choices between powerful medications with serious side effects or risky surgeries.

Gestala's approach offers a third path. The same technology that safely monitors babies during pregnancy could help restore quality of life to people who've suffered for years.

The company joins a growing wave of non-invasive brain technologies. Earlier this month, OpenAI's Sam Altman invested in a similar ultrasound-based brain interface called Merge Labs. Researchers at Georgetown University and other institutions are racing to refine these approaches.

Tianqiao Chen, who co-founded Gestala after creating a successful gaming company, also established a nonprofit institute supporting neuroscience research. His involvement brings both funding and credibility to the project.

Challenges remain. Reading brain activity through ultrasound is harder than stimulating it because the skull weakens and distorts signals. Most current research requires removing part of the skull to create a window into the brain, which defeats the purpose of being non-invasive.

Scientists also note that changes in blood flow happen more slowly than direct neural activity, which might limit some applications. Georgetown neuroscience professor Maximilian Riesenhuber doesn't expect people connecting to AI systems through ultrasound anytime soon.

But for the millions living with chronic pain who just want relief, that distant sci-fi future matters less than the very real possibility of help arriving soon.