Migraine is the 3rd most prevalent illness in the world. Nearly 1 in 4 U.S. households includes someone with migraine. A 2017 study of more than 15,000 Americans with migraines found that oral medications are helpful, but don’t solve for all migraine symptoms. Neuromodulation is one of the fastest-growing areas of medicine. This therapy may help reduce the severity or frequency of migraine attacks.
Read more: Wearable Sensor Cannot Accurately Detect Migraine Attacks Beforehand, Reveals Small Finnish Study
Neurolief developed Relivion, the first non-invasive, adaptive multi-channel brain neuromodulation technology that offers a highly effective therapy, without any side effects related to medications. The system is comprised of a comfortable and adjustable electronic headset that provides precise modulated pulses simultaneously to six branches of the occipital and trigeminal nerves via several adaptive output channels around the patient’s head. The occipital and trigeminal nerves then conduct the stimulation directly to the brainstem (Trigemino-Cervical Complex –TCC). Prior and existing non-invasive neuromodulation devices for the treatment of migraine stimulate only the trigeminal nerve, treating only part of the brain that triggers migraines. In contrast, the Relivion also modulates the occipital nerves, where the majority of migraines originate. In addition, the sophisticated cloud-enabled system connects to a proprietary mobile phone app that learns over time and in the future will deliver optimized personalized treatment for each patient.
This small external trigeminal nerve stimulation (eTNS) device attaches to the forehead and sends mild electrical pulses to the wearer’s forehead to the location known as the trigeminal nerve, the main area where migraines start. Cefaly does both treatment and prevention. For migraine prevention, you wear it for 20 minutes every night for three months. It can also be used for an hour at the onset of a migraine to reduce the intensity of pain. The device costs about $400, and the electrodes are reusable up to 20 times (new electrodes cost $25 for a three-pack), reports Well + Good.
Theranica, a Netanya, Israel-based bio-medical technology company, developed smartphone-controlled wearable device Nerivio Migra, which uses Remote Electrical Neuromodulation for acute migraine treatment. The remote electrical neuromodulation (REN) wearable device only reduces pain once you’re having a migraine. The device is placed on the upper arm (not the head or neck) and uses smartphone-controlled electronic pulses to create a Conditioned Pain Modulation (CPM) response. Nerivio Migra is designed for acute treatment of migraine with or without aura in adult patients who do not have chronic migraine. Each device costs about $100, and treats 12 migraines. Theranica has partnered with Cove to enable its customers to access Nerivio on Cove’s advanced telemedicine platform.
Read more: Theranica Envisions a World of Non-Pharmacological Medical Therapy Wearables
For migraine and cluster headache pain gammaCore is an FDA-cleared, safe, and effective treatment. gammaCore Sapphire (non-invasive vagus nerve stimulator) is indicated for use in adult patients for the preventive treatment of migraine and cluster headache, and acute treatment of pain associated with migraine and episodic cluster headache. Available by prescription only. US Federal Law restricts this device to sale by or on the order of a licensed healthcare provider.
HeadaTerm is a wearable anti-migraine device that uses precisely designed electrical stimulation to target the central nervous system’s pain receptors by releasing pain-countering neurotransmitters. The device has been cleared by the FDA as well as other international medical agencies including Health Canada, CE, TGA and Israel. A study showed that TENS therapy conducted by HeadaTerm is a fast-acting treatment of acute migraines.
