When you start to feel a migraine happening, you’ll notice severe throbbing pain or even a pulsing sensation on one side of your head. This will typically be followed by nausea, light, and sound sensitivity, and other symptoms. These attacks can last for hours or even days. That’s why it’s essential to identify your triggers and take preventative measures.
In 2014, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation device, Cefaly, for migraine prevention. This device is an external trigeminal nerve stimulation unit. The device is designed to target the trigeminal nerve involved in migraines and stimulate to help prevent future migraines.
Cefaly sends tiny electrical impulses from a self-adhesive electrode that you place on your forehead. The device has reusable self-adhesive so that you can use it for multiple sessions. When you turn on the device, you’ll feel a tingling sensation on your forehead. It’s recommended to do 20-minute treatment sessions every day to help prevent migraines. This is supposed to reduce the frequency and intensity of your migraine symptoms.
To use Cefaly:
- Clean your skin so the electrode will stick to your forehead above your eyebrows.
- Open the electrode packet and peel off the electrode from the plastic backing.
- Place the electrode on your forehead with the curved area between your eyebrows and the wings just above your eyebrows.
- Connect the device to the electrode using the exposed magnets and select the prevention program.
As your session progresses, you’ll feel a tingling sensation get gradually stronger and spread through your forehead and the front of your head. Eventually, the intensity will stabilize and remain constant until the treatment is finished.
Cefaly may be right for you if you aren’t getting relief from over-the-counter or prescription medications. If you’re looking for alternatives to medication, you can talk to your doctor about trying the migraine prevention device Cefaly.
You may also be interested in this device if you have other medical conditions that keep you from using medications for your migraines.
Clinical studies have shown that Cefaly has helped reduce the number of migraine days by 30%, and 38% of users in the trial saw a 50% reduction in days they experienced migraines. The benefits of Cefaly far outweigh any adverse effects. People in the study that did experience side effects saw them as mild and reversible within 20 minutes after the session ended.
