Review of Dr Reddy’s Nerivio Migraine Device: Medication-free headache relief
For as long as I remember, I’ve been afflicted by migraine. My migraines tend to range from the mildly annoying to the horribly severe — I would barely be able to move, if the latter is the case.
But I get a migraine attack every week without fail, and so, imagine my surprise — and delight — when Dr Reddy’s Laboratories reached out to me to test Nerivio, a migraine relief device approved by the USFDA.
I’ve tried all possible migraine medications out there, and invariably, after a few months, they lose their efficacy.
I don’t think I ever wanted to get a migraine so bad, just because I wanted to test Nerivio. And like clockwork, the Friday after the device was delivered to me, my old friend, the migraine, made its unwelcome visit.
It’s not as simple as purchasing the device over the counter. It needs to be prescribed by a qualified doctor. I was prescribed Nerivio by a doctor for the review.Using the device is ridiculously simple — the device itself doesn’t need to be charged; it is programmed for 18 treatment sessions, each lasting 45 minutes. It has an ‘on’ button and LED indicator, and that’s it. Included in the box are an armband with which you can strap on the device and tighten it as per your comfort level.
Nerivio comes with a companion app, which controls the device. Nerivio uses what Dr Reddy’s terms ‘remote electrical neuromodulation (REN).’ REN basically sends pulses through your nerves and muscles towards your brain stem, aimed at relieving the pain.
It is crucial to note here that a treatment session should be started within 60 minutes of the onset of a migraine. The default pulse setting is 18%, but it is recommended that the minimum be at 20%. You can increase the intensity as per your need during a treatment session, but experts who guided me through the setup process warned me against decreasing the intensity.
The experience
The Nerivio device comes with an adhesive at the back, protected by a sticker. Remove the sticker, put the device at a comfortable position on your upper arm, and use the strap to secure it in place. Once you hit the power button, you can feel a mild, tingling sensation. That’s at 18% intensity.
The strength of the pulses increases as you ramp up the intensity on the app — both on iOS and Android. Find your sweet spot, relax and let Nerivio do the rest.
In my case, Nerivio has been somewhat of a hit and a miss. I’ve used all sessions programmed into the device, at varying intensity levels — I’ve gone from 25% all the way to 100%. And it worked about 75% of the time, usually when the attack was painful to severe. In cases of mild migraine attacks, I didn’t feel that much of a difference. However, the fact that it worked for severe attacks is a game-changer, at least for me.
