Although a workable electrical apparatus was not truly developed until after the Renaissance, ‘natural electricity’ was in use therapeutically in Classical times (Kane and Taub, 1975).
Earliest medical use of electricity dates back to descriptions from Aristotle (384-322 v. Chr.): “an electric ray (torpedo fish, or crampfish) can cause a numbing sensation”.
In the year 46 AD Scribonius Largus describes: “for acute gout an electric ray should be placed underneath the painful leg. The patient should remain standing on top of the fish until the numbness reaches the knee.”

Modern, non-invasive Neuromodulation

Fortunately, the days of treatments with an electric ray are over. But the principle of non-invasive Neuromodulation remains the same: electrical impulses can modulate nerve function and thus modify pain sensations. The exact mechanism of pain modulation is still unknown and is subject to current research.
Non- invasive neuromodulation can be implemented for acute pain and also used as prophylactic treatment (for example in migraine headaches).
Numerous neuro-modulating devices have been developed and are on the market today. For example “Cefaly“ is one widely applied device, which is applied in case of headaches and is a good example of non- invasive neuromodulation of the trigeminal nerve.

How does it work?

“Cefaly” is connected magnetically to a selfadhesive electrode to the forehead of the patient. Microimpulses originating from the electrode are targeted precisely to the top branch of the trigeminal nerve, which can either ameliorate an acute migraine attack of prevent future migraine attacks (prophylactic treatment).