For me, the Sana Health device was truly a gift from the universe. I’ve been very open about my struggles with pain stemming from my autoimmune disorders and I was extremely grateful when representatives at Sana connected with me and offered to send me a device to help with my healing. I’m always deeply touched when people reach out to me about my health journey and this product is incredible.
When you live with conditions like fibromyalgia, lupus and Sjogren’s syndrome or struggle with the pain of rheumatoid arthritis or spinal stenosis like I do, the pain can often be accompanied by brain fog, blurry vision, frustration, depression and anxiety. In my experience this can all contribute to a feeling of deep disorientation and disconnection inside your body. Throughout this past year, the stressful conditions of the pandemic translated to a surge in my pain levels which even forced me to take off time from work. During that period I incorporated the Sana device into my healing routine and I found that it had the ability to bring my body down from its heightened fight-or-flight state. When I’m getting ready to use the device I’ll find a comfy place to lie down and go through some meditations. Sometimes I’ll even pull out my BEMER Pad, but that’s a story for a different day.
I’m so grateful to Sana for this device. Using it always grounds me, calms my system down and gets me back in sync with myself. It also makes me feel so cool and futuristic! I’m very excited to spread the word about devices like Sana’s that can help people live a better life. We had the chance to speak to Richard Hanbury, the founder and CEO of Sana Health about his personal journey in pain management and how he hopes to change lives with Sana’s technology. Get ready to be inspired by his incredible story.
Carrie Ann: Richard, thank you for taking the time to share your story with us and give us more information about this incredible technology. How does the technology in the Sana device work? What’s the science behind it?
Richard: The device uses carefully coordinated pulses of light and sound to produce a deep state of relaxation very quickly. This process works by entrainment. Entrainment is when the brain senses a speed and a pattern in incoming signals and adopts them. This is the same reason that fast paced music wakes you up, and lullabies relax— we take this process to its most precise, to produce the exact patterns in the brain that bring deep relaxation.
Carrie Ann: I think this is why the device appeals to me so much— I have always been deeply affected by music and rhythm, so the concept of entrainment makes a lot of sense to me. May I ask, do you suffer from chronic pain yourself?
Richard: I developed the first prototype to save my own life— I had been given a 5 year life expectancy because of severe nerve damage caused by spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury. The device wiped out all of my nerve damage pain, and now I am a health and wellness user. We are carrying out clinical trials in both fibromyalgia and neuropathic pain in pursuit of an FDA approval for these conditions. (Editor’s Note: At the time of publication, Sana has received breakthrough designation for the treatment of fibromyalgia.)
For most people Sana is not a silver bullet like it was for me. We are aiming to be a tool in peoples toolkits, to use as and when works for them, to help manage their condition. At present we are on market for improving sleep and wellness.
Carrie Ann: In my journey with fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren’s syndrome, lupus and spinal stenosis I have learned that sleep is truly vital to any sort of healing or wellness.
I always believe that people find a life in healing because they have gone through something themselves in their personal life. What inspired this device to be created?
Richard: The above injuries were caused by my having to crash a Jeep off a bridge in the Yemen, near the capital Sanaa— hence the company name. I went 60 feet down into a dry river bed, broke my back, ripped my aorta, and sustained a brain injury. I was clinically dead for eight minutes, in a coma for six weeks, then in hospital for a further year.
In hospital I realized I was in too much pain to learn to meditate. But when a film put me in a flow state, I realized I might be able to create a new type of pain relief. At first this was just for me, but it has become a lifelong mission to get this out to help others.
Carrie Ann: Thank you so much for sharing that. What an incredibly inspiring story; I can truly feel your passion for helping others. Now, what do you say to people who think medication is the only way to deal with pain?
Richard: If you are suffering and you are getting the relief you want from pain meds, and the side effects are not too severe, and you are happy, then congratulations on successful pain management. For everyone else, then medication is likely just part of a solution to get you to your least amount of pain possible.
Carrie Ann: For people who suffer from chronic pain, pain management is truly like the holy grail and finding ways not to have to use medication is such a great gift. I’ve used quantum biofeedback in the past; is the Sana device similar to that?
Richard: The similarity is that both systems aim to correct imbalances. The massive advantage of Sana is that it is done at home whenever someone needs it, and provides instant benefits.
Carrie Ann: I love how accessible the device is and how it’s always at hand when needed. How often can we use the Sana device and what is the best way to use it for pain management?
Richard: I now use it whenever I fly long-haul, whenever I work too late and need to speed-unwind for bed, or middle of the day for a nap if I only have 20 minutes to get some zip back to my day.
For pain management the clinical trials are being run with the instructions to use twice a day and whenever symptoms get too much for you to enjoy what you are doing. Once we have finished the clinical trials, and gained FDA approval, then we will be able to release the results of those studies as to how the device is best used to treat pain.
Carrie Ann: This is exciting as someone who suffers from fibromyalgia. Is there a type of pain that this works better on?
Richard: Our early results suggest any pain that is made worse by stress, anxiety or sleep disruption, we might be able to help with. The clinical trials in fibromyalgia and neuropathic pain are the first two, and many more will follow.
Carrie Ann: I can definitely attest to the fact that pain is made worse by anxiety and sleep disruption, so thank you for putting your efforts into helping people like me to experience more relief. Can you explain the connection between using the mask and better sleep?
Richard: In my early days with the first prototype, I realized that if I received pain as I was going to sleep – it improved my time to sleep and my quality of sleep, and this reduced my pain for all of the following day. Getting to sleep is easier and sleep is better quality, if you are more relaxed as you are going to sleep – the device achieves this.
Carrie Ann: Richard, thank you so much again for sharing all of this knowledge and for dedicating your life to relieving pain. As someone who lives with chronic pain from my autoimmune conditions, I want to thank you for looking for solutions. Not only is the Sana device interesting looking and comfortable to wear, but I’ve felt noticeable results when I’ve used it. Thank you for reaching out to me and thank you for helping people who are working to find solutions for pain relief. I look forward to following this revolutionary device’s journey in the future.
You can learn more about Richard and Sana Health by visiting Sana’s website.
