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A number of devices have recently been developed to help migraine without the need of medication. Some are helpful when migraine strikes, others can be helpful to prevent migraine attacks.
The Cefaly device is a transcutaneous nerve stimulator - it relaxes superficial nerves on the surface of the scalp. There are a few settings that you can use - one can be used a few times a day to help prevent migraine, the other can be used to stop a migraine acutely. This is available now without a prescription.
The Gammacore device is an external vagus nerve stimulator - it increase the activity of the vagus nerve we talked about above, and by doing that increases the relaxation response of your nervous system. It is approved for cluster and migraine headaches.
The Nerivio device is a remote neurostimulator - it’s worn on the arm and it uses a specific stimulation frequency to decrease the brain’s pain sensory attention from the migraine attack. It is approved for the acute treatment of migraines.
The Allay Lamp is a green light that emits a specific frequency of light in the green spectrum that decreases light sensitivity. Light sensitivity is a hallmark of migraine, and this lamp might allow you to still carry out many activities when you otherwise would be left in the dark.
Two devices have been developed that unfortunately are not available at this time. The Spring TMS device uses a technology called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to stop aura and prevent migraine attacks. It stimulates the cortex of the brain with an electromagnetic pulse - similar to how an MRI obtains imaging information. Repetitive TMS has been used to treat depression, anxiety and OCD, this device uses single pulses of stimulation instead. The company the developed this device is currently undergoing bankruptcy but there may be plans to sell this device to another company and it may be available in the future.
The Relivion device uses the technology of the Cefaly device to stimulate both the forehead nerves and nerves in the back of the head, called the occipital nerves. It was recently approved by the FDA and the company will be making it available for patients in the next few months.
The market for migraine medical devices and tools is growing at a high rate and can be hard to navigate. If you need guidance in picking what device might help your individual case, join Neura Health now and get advice from the trained specialist
Neura Health is a comprehensive virtual headache and migraine clinic. Track headaches, discuss with a neurologist and get help from anywhere.