CEFALY’s Not Working for Me. Now What? 

CEFALY has been relieving and preventing migraine attacks with clinically proven neuromodulation since 2008. For thousands of migraine patients, CEFALY is “something I can’t live without,” “a lifesaver,” and a “game-changer” — to quote just a few of our reviews. 

However, not everyone has the same experience. What if you find CEFALY hard to use? Or you don’t like the way treatment feels? We’ll walk you through the most common reasons patients say CEFALY isn’t working and help you figure out what to do.

My CEFALY won’t stay in place. What should I do?

First, cleanse your forehead with basic soap and dry it before attaching the electrode. Don’t skip this step! Skin oils, lotions, and makeup all prevent the electrode from sticking and shorten its usable life. 

If you’ve cleansed and dried your forehead and the electrode still won’t stick, it’s probably time for a fresh electrode. 

To keep the device in place, you should lie back, recline, or tilt your head back during a CEFALY treatment. Don’t walk around or do normal activities. (The treatment may make you feel a little sleepy, so you should not operate a vehicle or any other machinery while using CEFALY or within 1 hour following a treatment.)

If your CEFALY loses the connection to the electrode, your session will automatically end and you’ll have to restart it. 

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My CEFALY treatment feels weird or unpleasant. What should I do?

If you’re new to using CEFALY, it’s normal for your first few treatments to feel a little strange. Neurostimulation — having gentle electrical pulses sent to your nerves — probably isn’t something you’ve experienced before. Most people describe it as a soft prickling, vibrating, or buzzing sensation.

Your treatment should never feel painful, uncomfortable, or hard to tolerate. If it does, you need to adjust your CEFALY.

First, is your electrode in the right place? It should be centered on your forehead, with the wings just above your eyebrows. If the electrode is placed too high, or off-center, then CEFALY won’t stimulate the trigeminal nerve correctly. A misplaced electrode can cause an unwanted sensation or prolonged, visible eyelid/eyebrow twitching during a treatment. 

Second, is your electrode in good condition? Patients have reported shocks and other unpleasant sensations from using CEFALY with an old, dried-out, or dirty electrode. Make sure the electrode is clean and hydrated for optimal adhesion to your skin.

Third, is the stimulation too strong? This is the most common concern patients have. It’s important to know that you should not use CEFALY at the maximum intensity when you’re new to the device. It’s too much for most patients until they get used to the sensation. 

In both ACUTE and PREVENT modes, the stimulation slowly increases over the first 14 minutes of treatment until it reaches maximum intensity. You have the power to stop that increase! Press the device button once at any time during those 14 minutes to hold the intensity steady once it reaches a point where the sensation is noticeable but still comfortable.

If you have the CEFALY Connected, you can use the CeCe Migraine Management app to adjust the intensity. Pair your device with the app and watch the stimulation increase. Tap “Stabilize” when it feels just right.

Tip: Most people build a tolerance for neurostimulation over time. You can try a higher stimulation intensity once you’re used to the sensation. Just don’t push it to a point that’s uncomfortable.

CEFALY isn’t relieving my migraine pain. What should I do?

First, make sure you’re using the right treatment mode. The ACUTE mode for migraine relief is activated by pressing the device button one time, or by selecting it in the CeCe app. You should see a turquoise light on the device.

For the best results, use the ACUTE treatment mode at the very earliest sign of a migraine attack, before pain symptoms begin. Signs of this prodrome phase vary from person to person, and can include:

• Mood changes (feeling excitable, irritable, or depressed)
• Feeling thirstier than normal, or craving certain foods
• Feeling sleepy and/or yawning a lot
• Needing to pee more often than usual

TIP: If you miss these early signs, just start your ACUTE treatment as soon as you notice a migraine attack coming on. And if a single ACUTE session isn’t enough, you can do two back-to-back.

CEFALY isn’t decreasing my migraine frequency. What should I do?

Migraine prevention is a marathon, not a sprint. That’s especially true when you’re talking about neurostimulation. It takes consistent treatments over time to make the trigeminal nerve less sensitive, reducing the frequency of migraine attacks. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see immediate results.

We recommend using the PREVENT mode every day for 90 days before you decide if CEFALY is working for you. In that time period, you should see a pretty big difference in migraine frequency. In one clinical study, 38.1% of patients saw their headache days reduced by 50% or more following three months of CEFALY PREVENT treatment. 

Be patient! If you see even a small improvement in migraine frequency in your first months of using CEFALY, that means your trigeminal nerve is responding to neurostimulation. 

TIP: Developing a new habit is hard. Try making CEFALY PREVENT part of your bedtime wind-down routine, or adding it to another established daily habit.

I don’t know why CEFALY isn’t working for me. What should I do?

Sign up for a free, one-on-one session with a CEFALY Coach for personalized troubleshooting. While our coaches aren’t doctors and can’t give you medical advice, they’re happy to advise you on how to use your CEFALY for the best possible results.

CEFALY Coaches are available Monday through Friday, from 10 am to 7:30 pm ET. 

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Don’t get discouraged!

Feel like your migraine treatment journey is always one step forward, two steps back? It may help to take a look at the big picture. Migraine is a complex neurological disorder that can be made worse or better by many, many factors. Ask yourself (and your healthcare provider):

What are my known migraine triggers, and how can I avoid them? Stress, hormonal shifts in women, weather changes, certain foods, caffeine, alcohol, insufficient sleep… all these triggers and more can increase the chance of an attack. 

What other health conditions may be affecting my migraine? If you also have a sleep disorder, a mental health condition such as anxiety or depression, or another chronic condition, that can make it harder to manage migraine. 

How effective are each of my migraine treatments? Maybe you’ve always relied on a certain supplement for prevention or a particular medication for relief. But is it the best option available? Use the CeCe app to track your migraine frequency, intensity, duration, and symptoms to collect hard data on treatment effectiveness. That can help you pinpoint what really works to help you feel better. One major benefit of CEFALY: Because it’s a drug-free treatment, it can be used safely alongside other migraine treatments, including medication.

We hope CEFALY will work for you and help you reclaim your life from migraine pain. Know that we’re always here to offer you support.