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How is Nerivio different than a TENs unit?
How is Nerivio different than a TENs unit?

Nerivio® is not a TENS device and should not be confused with Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation (TENS)​.

Updated over a year ago

Nerivio is a wearable migraine treatment that stimulates the body's pain receptors in order to relieve acute and chronic migraine pain.

Nerivio inhibits the pain in a remote body region by using Remote Electrical Neuromodulation (REN) and ascends up the spinal cord into the brainstem triggering the Conditioned Pain Modulation (CPM), which is the body’s endogenous mechanism for pain suppression. ​

Diagram: Nerivio is Triggering the Conditioned Pain Modulation

In contrast, TENS devices inhibit pain locally, in the vicinity of where the TENS device is placed, and targets sensory nerves outside the central nervous system, in an attempt to block pain signals from entering the spinal cord and brain. ​


Why simulate the arm to treat a migraine headache?

Pain or stimulation in one body part can activate a pain-inhibition process in the brain to depress pain throughout the body. Nerivio stimulates and activates tiny nerve fibers under the skin of the arm to release neurotransmitters (norepinephrine and serotonin) that can reduce pain in the Central Nervous System of the body.


Nerivio vs other Migraine Treatments Comparison

Nerivio®

Other neuromodulation devices ​

Triptans

CGRPs/
Gepants

REN

V

Acute migraine treatment​​

V

V


V

V

FDA-cleared for ages 12 years and above

V

V / X

* Device depending​

V

* Limited options​

Drug-free, non-invasive, no risk of medications overuse headache, no drug-drug interactions

V

V

Digital health app



V

V / X

* Device depending​

Disease management (including headache diary)

V

V / X

* Device depending

Parallel Behavioral Therapy

V

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