by British doctor Adam Hamdi has developed a discreet, wearable pad that can be attached to the skin to relieve the wearer’s menstrual cramps.
The wireless device, dubbed Myoovi, uses transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) technology to relieve pain on the go.
Myoovi founder Hamdi said he came up with the product idea while working in a general practice for the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), where he found that over-the-counter pain relief wasn’t working for everyone suffering from menstrual pain.
He believes the wearable device could offer an attractive alternative to the “chunky and wire-filled” TENS devices already on the market.
“I’ve seen a lot of patients with menstrual pain and endometriosis where painkillers didn’t help,” Hamdi told Dezeen.
“I found that TENS technology is a well-researched and proven way to help; however, most patients didn’t know what it was or were reluctant to use them because they were bulky and filled with wires,” he continued.
“That gave me the idea to launch a new product that is wireless, wearable and discreet and create a brand that aims to raise awareness.”
The disk-shaped Myoovi device contains a TENS device, a USB-chargeable battery, and three control buttons that adjust the strength and pattern of the impulses.
TENS machines send small electrical impulses from pads placed on the skin over the source of the pain.
These impulses work by blocking or reducing pain signals going to the spinal cord and brain, which can reduce pain for the wearer.
The Myoovi device lasts up to ten hours on a single charge and comes in a kit that also includes two butterfly-shaped synthetic polyurethane (PU) leather pads.
The 7.5 centimeter long pads, which are available in three different skin tones, are attached to the pain site like a plaster using biocompatible, self-adhesive, conductive hydrogel on the underside of the pad.
The underclothing gel pads typically last between 20 and 30 uses or until they’re no longer sticky, which Hamdi says usually translates to two months of wear.
According to Hamdi, Myoovi feels like a pulsating massage when switched on, with the electrical sensation causing a tingling sensation.
“The device is super light, so you really don’t notice it until you turn it on,” Hamdi said. “Once you do this, you’ll feel these tiny pulses in the area where you’re wearing the device,” he added.
“These impulses work by distracting and blocking your pain receptors in the area, and this prevents them from picking up pain.”
Myoovi was developed to help relieve pain from conditions like endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome or pelvic inflammatory disease, although the NHS guideline says there isn’t enough research to determine whether TENS is “a reliable method of pain relief”.
It points out that more high-quality scientific research is needed and medical trials are ongoing, adding that “medical professionals have reported that it seems to help some people”.
Other items developed to relieve menstrual pain include a bracelet for menopausal women called Grace, developed by Loughborough University graduate Peter Astbury to regulate and relieve hot flashes.
Meanwhile, industrial designer Lauren Lee designed a heated wall called the Warm Wall to give people a common place to go to relieve their menstrual cramps.
Images are courtesy of Myoovi.
