VeRelief Help Center
How Does Breathing Work with the Device?
How Long do the Electrodes last?
The product stings and is painful when I use it... What am I doing wrong?
What if I can't feel the device?
What is the best protocol to use?
Who will benefit from the Mini vs Prime
Why do you have to replace the electrodes?
What is the difference between VeRelief Prime and VeRelief Mini?
Can you overstimulate the Vagus Nerve?
Why are you doing this on the side of the neck?
Frequently Asked Questions
Your questions matter. Explore answers about VeRelief here. From functionality to design, we've got you covered. Can't find your query? Reach out - we're here to help. Email us at support@hoolest.com anytime.
VeRelief Prime & Mini
Who should use this product?
The VeRelief PRIME is an excellent tool for any healthy individual living a fast-paced or high-stress lifestyle and needs an effective tool to recover from stress fast.
It is also a great tool for individuals with chronic nervous system imbalance looking to recover from a chronic "fight or flight" state. These types of individuals ought to use the "low and slow" approach, using a low intensity for longer periods of time, and in conjunction with other healing modalities like red light, laser, PEMF, and others.
How Does VeRelief Work?
VeRelief uses a technology called Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS). This is a method that applies small electric currents to the skin over a nerve for the purpose of activating a neurophysiological response. VeRelief electrically activates the vagus and great auricular nerves on the neck and around the ear area.
The vagus nerve is the physical connection between the mind and body. It’s primary responsibility is to reduce sympathetic nerve activity, or your body’s natural fight-or-flight response. VeRelief immediately activates the auricular branch of the vagus nerve, which leads to rapid reduction in sympathetic output and improved recovery from stressful events, anxiety attacks, and fight-or-flight responses.
We recommend using the device daily for a few months to strengthen your vagus nerve response, and then using it on an as-needed basis anytime you experience an acute stress response.
Is electrically stimulating the vagus nerve safe?
Electrical nerve stimulation has been demonstrated to be safe in thousands of patients across hundreds of clinical trials. The most common side effects of electrical nerve stimulation include skin itching or irritation, discomfort during treatment, dizziness, blurred vision, headache, or fatigue, but these side effects are typically very mild, infrequent, and subside quickly upon removal of the treatment.
There are many electrical nerve and vagus nerve stimulation devices FDA cleared for various medical indications with output current values of over 50mA. VeRelief uses an output of less than 10mA, which is substantially less than the output of other FDA-cleared vagus nerve and general nerve stimulation devices. Hoolest has also conducted 3 IRB approved sham-controlled studies that demonstrated the treatment to be safe and tolerable in patients experiencing moderate to severe state-anxiety.
What are the recommended protocols?
General Recovery Protocol
Use the device for 10 minutes while sitting in a comfortable position. This will shift the nervous system out of "fight or flight" and will allow your body to be more receptive to other healing modalities.
Rapid Stress Recovery Protocol
Use the device for 2-5 minutes with the breath synchronization mode. This mode guides you to a slow paced breathing technique, which when combined with auricular vagal stim offers an extremely fast calming effect.
Who should NOT use this product?
The following patients should not use the VeRelief products:
- People with metal implants in the head or neck
- People with extremely sensitive skin
- People extremely sensitive to external stimuli
- People living with chronic mental health disorders like anxiety
Please reference the full list of contraindications on our FAQ page.
Can multiple people use the same electrode gels?
Yes
How long does one electrode gel pair last?
The total use life of one electrode gel pair will vary based on a handful of factors.
Those that use electrodes infrequently, keep them protected by the cap that comes with the device when not in use, and who live in humid environments will get up to 1 month of use out of each electrode pair.
Those who use the electrodes several times per day with multiple people and who live in dry environments will get up to 2 weeks of use per pair.
What does VeRelief feel like?
In one of our clinical studies with 24 patients, we asked them to give up to 5 words to describe how the treatment felt. Here are the top results:
• Relaxed (11 times)
• Calm (9 times)
• Ear Vibrations (7 times)
• Tingly (6 times)
• Comfortable (4 times)
• Focused (4 Times)
• Meditation (3)
• Intriguing (2)
• Peaceful (2)
• Soothing (2)
• Balanced (1)
• Ear dancing in lava lamp (1)
• Intense (1)
• Sleepy (1)
• Theta State (1)
• Tired (1)
How long do I have to hold the device in place to get the effect?
It is recommended to hold the device in place for at least 1 minute on each side of the neck to get the minimal calming effect, and at least 5 minutes on each side of the neck to get the maximum calming effect.
To get the maximum effects from vagus nerve activation, we recommend using the VeRelief everyday for a few minutes per day as part of a daily wellness routine. Daily vagus nerve activation will lead to reduced sympathetic output over time, improved ability to respond naturally to stressful situation and events, and can help reduce the risk of developing chronic conditions.
How long do the effects last?
The calming effects generally last between 10-40 minutes, but can sometimes last for hours. The length of time the effects last is dependent on a few variables:
• Intensity: The higher you turn up the intensity, the longer the effects will last.
• Duration of Treatment: The longer you use the device in one sitting, the longer the effects will last. We recommend a maximum of 10 minutes of use in one sitting.
• The Immediate Environment: The environment you are in will affect how long the effects last. A calm and quiet setting will lead to longer lasting effects, and a noisy and chaotic environment will lead to shorter lasting effects.
Can you get desensitized to vagus nerve stimulation?
There have been no reports of someone becoming desensitized to the VeRelief products or auricular vagus nerve stimulation in general. However, it is possible that over time you may need to turn up the intensity to get the same therapeutic effects as when you first started.
Electrical nerve stimulation is non-addictive and there have been no reports of anyone ever developing a dependence to auricular vagus nerve stimulation technology.
Is it safe to use on children?
VeRelief is not indicated for anyone under the age of 18. However, electrical nerve stimulation is a common modality used in the pediatric population in the fields of functional neurology, applied kinesiology, chiropractic, and other fields. You should consult with a certified nerve stimulation specialist such as a functional neurologist to find out if VeRelief can safely be used on your child.