The possibilities of pharmaceutical-free stress reduction and pain management have broad appeal (except, perhaps, to pharmaceutical companies). We’ve covered wearables designed to reduce stress, such as iBreve’s eponymous breathing pattern monitor and OmniPEMF’s NeoRthym PEMF neurostimulation headband. According to OmniPEMF, NeoRhythm can also help with pain management. We’ve written about other neurostim products as well. One of them is Neurometrix’s Quell, a wrap that uses electrical stimulation on the upper calf to block pain sensations from different parts of the body. We wrote more recently about Ovira, a neurostim device developed specifically to help relieve period pain. Many of the neurostimulation products we cover come with digital coaching, meditation techniques, and breathing exercises.
Flowly Health’s Flowly is a mobile app for pain and anxiety management. Unlike NeoRhythm, Ovira, and Quell, mentioned above, Flowly does not use neurostimulation for pain relief. The Flowly app employs breathing and relaxation exercises to manage stress. The App employs interactive virtual reality worlds in the training to help users regulate their nervous systems. Flowly is available for iOS devices only.
There are two Flowly subscription plans, according to the Apple iTunes store. The Flowly Basic subscription ($10 billed monthly or $60 for annual billing) enables unlimited access to exercises and experiences. The Flowly Basic app turns the user’s smartphone into a biofeedback sensor. Flowly Health sends Flowly Pro subscribers ($30 monthly or $180 annually) a virtual reality headset for full VR immersion and a clip-on biofeedback sensor, so they don’t need to use their smartphones. Flowly also sends progress reports to Pro subscribers based on data analysis of user performance with the app.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and coronavirus-related stress, the company allows anyone to download and use Flowly’s app for eight free introduction sessions. Flowly Health pledges to donate $0.50 for each completed Flowly session to the Coronavirus Relief Fund to supply necessary medical supplies to hospitals and families.
