Livia claims to be the miracle cure for period pain. But can this little cube that looks like AirPods cases really do us any good?
If the first period arrives in France between the age of 11 and 14 according to theIned, they started much later two centuries ago. It seems surprising then that there has not yet been a miracle cure to fight against menstrual pain today. According to Ameli.fr, 50 to 70% of adolescents have a painful period either permanently or occasionally. Between hot water bottle, paracetamol and miracle remedies, everyone tries to find the method that suits them best to relieve their trying periods, but the choice remains limited. Is Livia the new way to fight period cramps?
How does Lidia, the stop button for your painful period work?
Period pain is linked to two factors, first an inflammation and then a contraction of the uterus due to the accumulation of prostaglandin (used to remove the superficial part of the uterine lining). The contraction reduces the amount of oxygen distributed to the tissues of the uterus, which causes pain in the stomach according to gynecologist Tania Abib, interviewed by Women’s Health magazine. The higher the level of prostaglandin, the more painful the cramps.
The Livia device does not intervene at the hormonal level but will send small electrical impulses in order to control the pain of cramps. Thanks to electrostimulation, the device will help you relieve yourself by stopping the transmission of the “pain” message to the brain.
Livia is easy to use. Just attach the case to the belt, place the electrodes on the painful area and press the button as soon as a cramp hurts. Several women who have tested it testify to its immediate effectiveness in relieving pain. Lauren Clark, journalist based in Lisbon, points out in a test article for Women’s Health that during the 4 days of use, it remained “as productive and as sociable as on a days without rules”. She adds that “The little extra is you don’t have to deal with the psychological pain of canceling plans at the last minute.” To go further, you will find here the opinions of our readers on the product sheet of the unit.
According to the manufacturer, Livia can be used at any age and when desired, there would be no risk of overdose as is the case with painkillers. However, it is not recommended to wear it while sleeping.
>> Buy the Livia Kit
An expensive remedy
Despite everything, Livia’s invention has some limitations. Sold by the manufacturer for 159.99 euros (but it is found on sale on Amazon less than 100 euros), some could quickly resign themselves even if Lauren Clark explains that the investment is worth the cost. The appearance of the product is also detrimental to it. Its small size of plastic gadget and its colorful appearance ranging from turquoise blue to purple can be frightening.
Based in Illinois in the United States, the Livia tool was designed by a man, Zvi Nachum, in the late 1990s. It was then marketed by his son and incidentally tech entrepreneur, Chen Nachum, in 2016. We would have preferred that it was not a cis man who stuffed his pockets with the period pain of millions of trans women and men on a daily basis.