A new interactive game developed by researchers at UNSW teaches the brain to manage chronic nerve pain — offering a promising, drug-free alternative to opioids.
Key Points at a Glance
- The PainWaive game trains users to regulate brainwaves linked to nerve pain.
- Initial trial results show pain relief comparable to that of opioids in most participants.
- The system includes a custom EEG headset and an app that responds in real time to brain activity.
- Affordable and home-friendly, it empowers patients to manage pain non-invasively.
Picture a jellyfish drifting on your tablet screen, responding not to your touch, but to your thoughts. This is the core idea behind PainWaive, a new brain training game developed by researchers at UNSW that aims to help patients manage chronic nerve pain — without medication.
In the first trial of its kind, the system — which combines a custom EEG headset and a game-like app — taught participants to adjust their own brainwave activity to reduce pain levels. The trial, led by Professor Sylvia Gustin and Dr Negin Hesam-Shariati at UNSW’s NeuroRecovery Research Hub, showed that three out of four participants experienced pain relief comparable to or better than that offered by opioids.
“Participants felt empowered to manage their pain in their own environment,” said Dr Hesam-Shariati. “That’s a huge part of what makes this special.”
The PainWaive system builds on years of research into how neuropathic pain alters the brain’s thalamus and its communication with other regions, especially the sensorimotor cortex. Patients with nerve pain typically show abnormal brainwave patterns: increased slow theta waves, reduced alpha waves, and elevated fast beta waves.
By playing PainWaive, users learn to bring their brain activity into a healthier range. The app responds in real time — calming imagery appears when a user’s brainwaves shift toward the desired state, reinforcing the mental strategies needed to maintain it. Techniques include relaxation, focus, and recalling pleasant memories.
Each participant received a home-use kit including a lightweight headset and tablet. After a few Zoom sessions, they managed the therapy independently. The headset, designed in-house using 3D printing, brings the system’s cost down to just $300 — compared to $1,000–$20,000 for commercial EEG devices.
“We’ve worked closely with patients to ensure the headset is lightweight, comfortable, and user-friendly,” said Prof. Gustin. “Owning the technology gives us the potential to make PainWaive an affordable, accessible tool for anyone with limited access to traditional treatments.”
The promising pilot results were published in the Journal of Pain, and while the small sample size means placebo effects can’t be ruled out, the study has paved the way for larger clinical trials. Two upcoming studies — the Spinal Pain Trial and the StoPain Trial — aim to involve hundreds of participants living with chronic pain.
PainWaive is part of a larger suite of brain-focused therapies developed by UNSW and NeuRA, including eHealth interventions and immersive VR tools to restore sensation in people with spinal cord injuries.
“It’s incredibly inspiring to see results that help unlock the brain’s potential to heal itself,” said Prof. Gustin. “We’re focused on creating practical tools that can be integrated into everyday care and bring back hope to those living with pain.”
Source: UNSW
