Cefaly: A Headband That Send Electric Impulses Into Your Head To Remedy Headaches

This headband sends electric impulses into your head to reduce headaches, specifically migraine headaches. Sounds a bit scary, perhaps even pseudoscientific. However research has shown that this device actually works, and with a tingling sensation being the worst side effect.

When worn, this battery-powered plastic headband, Cefaly, sends small, but steady, electrical pulses into the trigeminal nerve, the largest of the cranial nerves. It may sound crazy, but in a randomized study, those who used the band claimed that they suffered from fewer headaches. In fact, 71 percent of patients stated satisfaction with the results of using the device.

So now that the FDA has decided that the Cefaly is safe, are there any side effects? In data collected over the last five years, only a small percentage (about four percent) of its users reported minor side effects: most often, patients complained about a “tingling” sensation when wearing the headband. In comparison, among migraine patients that take medications, about half report major side effects. This makes Cefaly a much more likely choice for those battling the pain of these awful, recurring headaches and paves the way for using electrical stimulation for other forms of chronic pain, too.

It’s 295$ and you can get it here. However (at least in the US) you will need a medical prescription to use it.