Frequently Asked Questions

tVNS® applications are indicated for specific diseases (please see disease indication section here - link to disease indications section) and is intended for all patients from 3 years and above. tVNS® should not be used in certain situations such as during pregnancy or in persons with active implants (e.g. cochlear implants, vagus nerve stimulators or pacemakers), persons with cerebral shunts, or applied to sore or disease skin. (The possibility that tVNS® may influence the cardiac system cannot be excluded. Patients with cardiac arrhythmia must therefore ask their doctor whether tVNS® is appropriate for them. For full use instructions and safety information, please see user manuals.

tVNS is a self-applied daily treatment that can be used in the comfort of your own home. It is an effective treatment that may take some time to see the significant benefits. Generally, patients will see progressive improvements over several weeks in their disease condition with dedicated consistent use being a key factor.

One of the main benefits of tVNS treatment is to ensure patients can continue with their daily activities. The design is engineered to help users maintain their independence and for the integration with simple daily tasks such as reading, studying, watching television or even during meetings. However, it should not be used when operating vehicles or heavy machinery, or during dangerous tasks that require your full vigilance.

As with any type of medication, the benefits can vary between individuals. tVNS is not an acute treatment and may need several weeks/ months for progressive improvements to be seen. What is important is the consistent use of the treatment for achieving the most beneficial results.

tVNS is a daily application and the recommended duration of use varies between health conditions. The maximum time available for neurostimulation is 4 hours per day and this can be done continuously or in 1 hour intervals throughout the day.

Some side effects that may occur are ‘local effects’ at the stimulation side of the ear i.e. there may be skin irritation in the form of redness or itchiness. This can be treated with OTC skin creams and reduced by applying the electrode gel before each treatment.

In very rare cases, there may be systemic side effects due to stimulation of the vagus nerve, which includes headache, nausea and dizziness. Some epilepsy patients may have an initial increase in seizures. If these side effects occur, it is advised to stop the tVNS treatment.

Yes - tVNS treatment can be used in children from 3 years old. Please consult with our specialist for evaluating whether tVNS treatment is suitable for your child’s condition.

Please contact our sales team through our contact form. They will get in contact with you and take the time to understand your health condition to see if it is suitable for your needs and how we can provide the best support during your treatment journey.

No this is not needed. We will send you your starter pack which includes all the items i.e. tVNS device, wearable ear electrode, electrode gel, device recharger and travel pack. You can purchase additional accessories during your treatment if you require.

The tVNS device is smaller and lighter than the average smart-phone. The actual size is 10 cm (L) x 6 cm (W) x 2 cm (H) and weighs 115g. It is designed to be portable and easy-to-use.

The ear electrode is the wearable that is designed to look & feel like a standard earphone and is worn on the ear. It has been designed for delivering the gentle electrical pulses that are controlled by the tVNS device unit.

Once you are wearing the ear electrode you can apply it by manually controlling the stimulation intensity. The sensation of the electrical pulses should be set to a comfortable level, where the stimulation feels like a ‘tingling’ sensation but it should not be painful. The stimulation intensity may vary between different users.

There is no sound or music from the wearable electrode and the treatment delivered as an electrical pulse to key nerves through the skin.

No this is not needed. The tVNS devices are pre-set to your disease condition and are ready to use.

Yes – one of the main benefits of tVNS treatment is that it can be used adjunct (together) with medications and therefore avoids drug-drug interactions. The adjunct treatment approach often provides the best results. You may want to discuss with your physician if you later consider reducing your medication intake.

The tVNS device has been optimized for therapy based on rigorous scientific and medical research. As a user, you are able to control the intensity of stimulation (i.e. the electrical amplitude) from the device and this may vary between users depending on their sensitivity to the stimulation. This may also vary between different days but you should always feel a ‘tingling’ sensation during the therapy, but should never be painful.

tVNS treatment differs from TENS in the electrical stimulation patterns and stimulation sites.

tVNS has been scientifically established to activate specific neural fibres and nerve projections that are known to modulate brain activity through the brainstem – changing specific neural transmitter pathways in diseases states. This is different from TENS which are placed on local nerve fibres to provide electrical pulses that are typically used to block pain fibres in that location.

It really does! Our rigorous scientific studies have shown significant improvements in different neurological diseases, for example lowering seizure frequency, migraine attacks, reducing anxiety, improving sleep quality. Please see our section on clinical data or speak with our representative for the latest information.

You should first remove the ear electrode from your ear and switch off the device. Recheck that the ear electrode is correctly connected to the tVNS device. Wipe down the ear electrode with a lightly damp hand-wipe and then dry with a tissue. Then re-apply a thin layer of the electrode gel to the electrode tips and re-start your device. You can now slowly adjust the stimulation intensity using the ‘+/-‘ buttons until the intensity level is felt.

Currently, tVNS is not covered by health insurance. We are always looking to best serve our customers, so please contact our team for the latest information on packages available.