Livia - The Off Switch for Menstrual Pain
Livia is a wearable device that is used during menstruation to eliminate cramps and pain. It has FDA clearance and is intended to allow users to reduce or eliminate the use of pain medications. [1] It works by sending continuous, mild electrical micro-pulses through electrodes along the body’s nerve pathways and blocking out the pain signals before they reach the central nervous system. It is allegedly able to do this because the unique frequency and length of its electrical pulses block out the specific type of pain associated with menstruation.[2] The idea is that the vibration from the device travels faster than pain, and the brain likes the signal it gets first. If the user gets a vibration signal from Livia, that will then shut the door to pain.[3]
Livia is a small, 2 inch by 2 inch (55 mm by 55 mm) device featuring a power button, a plus button, a minus button, and a clip. The user presses the plus and minus buttons to adjust the intensity. There is also one port to plug in the electrodes and another to plug in the micro USB charging cable. Users can conceal Livia under their clothes and wear it discreetly in public.[4]
History
The manufacturer of Livia, iPulse Medical, was founded Israeli tech entrepreneur Chen Nachum in 2015. The idea for Livia came from his father, Zvi Nachum, a medical products inventor. Chen gathered a mostly female group of experts in industrial design, branding and marketing to bring his father’s invention to market. The team named the product Livia and came up with the idea of 3D-printing 20 prototypes to send to influential female journalists.[5] The positive response encouraged the company to launch Livia on crowdfunding site Indiegogo.com, where Livia had generated sales of $1,741,415 as of August 31, 2018.[6]
Livia is now available on the company’s website, through online retailers, and at retail stores.
On April 11, 2018, Livia received the Gold for Health & Wellness: Women’s Wellbeing at the Edison Awards.[7] [8]
Technical
Livia uses the principle of Gate Control Theory to organically block pain receptors by transmitting micro-pulses that keep the nerves "busy." Busy nerves mean that the nerve-gate is closed; therefore, pain signals cannot pass through and pain can be eliminated.[9]
To achieve results, women attach two electrodes and gel stickers to their lower abdomen or back, depending on where they feel the most pain. The electrodes are connected to the Livia device, which can be switched on or off depending on when the user is feeling menstrual pain. The Livia device holds a charge for up to 15 hours.[10]
Livia was clinically tested on 163 women by Dr. Bari Kaplan at the Women’s Hospital of Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva in Israel. The results of this test were the basis of Livia’s FDA, CE and Health Canada approvals.[11]
Health
According to Women’s Health Concern, around 80% of women experience period pain, or dysmenorrhea, at some stage in their lifetime.[12] For up to 20% of these women, their menstrual cramping is severe enough to interfere with daily activities, including work, school, parenting, exercise and social activities.[13]
Current recommendations for treating menstrual cramps include adequate rest and sleep and regular exercise (especially walking). Some women find that abdominal massage or yoga may bring relief, while others apply heating pads to the abdominal area in hopes of relieving the pain. The most common approach employed by women attempting to relieve menstrual pain is to take prescription or non-prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which lower the production of prostaglandin and lessen its effect. However, aspirin has limited effect in curbing the production of prostaglandin, and it is only useful for less painful cramps.[14]
Prescription and non-prescription painkillers can have side effects, and some of those can be serious. They can cause bleeding in the stomach if taken for a long time, and this can cause problems ranging from simple indigestion to stomach ulcers. Taking a large quantity of NSAIDs may cause kidney damage.[15]
Livia is intended to provide more effective menstrual pain relief, and much faster relief, than painkillers and thus to reduce or eliminate the need for painkillers.[16]
References[edit]
- ↑ Borpuzari, Pranbihanga (April 28, 2016).“Livia wants to eliminate period pain for women”. The Economic Times.
- ↑ Rawes, Erika (June 19, 2018). “Livia claims that it gets rid of period cramps, but does it actually work?”. Digital Trends.
- ↑ Parker, Lara; Watson, Sheridan; Jackson, Auri; Vingiano, Ail (May 21, 2016). “We Tried A Device To Get Rid Of Our Period Cramps And It Kind Of Worked”. Buzzfeed.
- ↑ Rawes, Erika (June 19, 2018). “Livia claims that it gets rid of period cramps, but does it actually work?”. Digital Trends.
- ↑ 1. Klein Leichmen, Abigail (May 26, 2016). “Revolutionary Israeli technology turns off the pain of periods”. Israel21C.
- ↑ “Livia - The Off Switch for Menstrual Pain” Indiegogo.
- ↑ Klein Leichmen, Abigail (April 26, 2018). “Israeli companies win 4 gold and 3 bronze Edison Awards”. Israel21C.
- ↑ “2018 Edison Best New Product Awards Winners”. [http://www.edisonawards.com Edison Awards.
- ↑ Borpuzari, Pranbihanga (April 28, 2016).“Livia wants to eliminate period pain for women”. The Economic Times.
- ↑ Klein Leichmen, Abigail (May 26, 2016). “Revolutionary Israeli technology turns off the pain of periods”. Israel21C.
- ↑ Klein Leichmen, Abigail (May 26, 2016). “Revolutionary Israeli technology turns off the pain of periods”. Israel21C.
- ↑ “Period pain”. Women’s Health Concern.
- ↑ Aufrichtig, Aliza (October 24, 2016).“Period pain: why do so many women suffer from menstrual cramps in silence?”. The Guardian.
- ↑ “Menstrual Cramps (Dysmenorrhea)”. MedicineNet.com.
- ↑ “What Are the Side Effects of Pain Medications?”. WebMD.com.
- ↑ Ingram, Laura (April 18, 2016). “No painkillers, no hot water bottles, no pain: Life-Changing device TURNS OFF period pain simply by pressing a button”. Daily Mail.
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