While some women are able to manage their menstrual pain and still tackle daily tasks at work and at home, others are plagued by pain that is more relentless and more debilitating. To address this, a number of big companies like Nike introduced menstrual leave in 2007 and Bristol-based company Coexist is planning to give employees time off when they’re suffering without regarding it as sick leave. Over in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, laws that allow women to take leave for menstrual pain are enforced. Now, Livia claims to have designed an off-switch for that time of the month.
Livia is a tiny drug-free device that closes the body’s “pain gates” by stimulating the nerves and blocking the pain from passing to the brain. “No more pain, no more pills,” writes the company.
The unintrusive device can be attached to the woman’s abdomen where it transmits a pulse that keeps the nerves busy. “Busy nerves means that the nerve-gate is closed, therefore pain signals cannot pass through and are unfelt,” adds the company.
It feels like “gentle vibrations”, says the company, and it provides instant pain relief. It is said to reduce pain by about 80 per cent.
“With Livia, women everywhere can have a more comfortable period,” said Livia’s CEO Chen Nachum. “Especially with people looking into holistic alternatives for food, medicine, and other industries, Livia is the natural step to take in order to get relief from menstrual pain, especially for women whose cramps can really be debilitating.”
