EM50 Menstrual TENS + Heat Unit

I don’t have enough good things to say about this. My credentials: I have PCOS, endometriosis and adenomyosis. This little machine is the only quick-acting pain relief I have in my arsenal. There are a bunch of levels, so depending on your pain, you can go up or down. I like that I can use the TENS or heat functions together or separate. The heat takes a second to warm up, but I’ve found that once it does, it gets pretty toasty! I’ve brought it to work and worn under my jeans so it’s definitely pretty discreet. I’ve had mine for almost two years and I just replaced the pads, so they stay sticky (and the replacements are easy to find on Amazon).

I am typically not someone to leave reviews - but this is REALLY, REALLY BAD! This item seemed promising at first. It worked fine for about a week. I was thrilled because my period cramps are extremely painful and this device eased some of the pain. However, it quickly stopped working, starting with the buttons flashing orange and a beeping noise about 20 times, then would turn off. I am under the impression that this is a sign of low battery level, but in this case, I could charge it for hours upon hours and it STILL WOULD NOT COME ON. Now, it won’t light up at all and is completely dead no matter how long it sits on the charger. Mind you, I returned one of these devices a couple months ago because it stopped working, and got a new one in the mail, but the new one doesn’t work either, and now I am past my return date. I am very disappointed, especially considering this item was not necessarily cheap. I would NOT recommend this to ANYONE!

Things I like -- - It works. It helps with the cramping pain, and that is the number one thing I need this device to do. - Easy to use in terms of the setting. It's pretty brainless, which is what I need when I'm in pain. Up for more, down for less. No calibrating, and no thinking about how far apart to put the TENS pads. - The maroon color is pleasant to me. - I don't know if this was intentional, but mine has a sort of bergamot scent. I am not usually in favor of scents, but this is not bad. Sometimes I buy things and they have a petroleum sort of smell, so this was good that it did not smell weird. - So far, it is easy to re-use. The gel pads stick pretty well. - So far, it has not fallen off. I keep thinking it will fall into the toilet sometime and then the entire thing might not work, but so far it has been good. - The USB recharger is easy to open with a subtle tab. - So far, the charge does last pretty well. - The buttons are raised so you can feel where they are -- this is important because if you're like me and do not have a flat stomach, you are not having to strain to see what is happening. The lights on it easily show you what you are selecting. You have to memorize what order they are in, but that's not hard. - The material is firm but flexes, and is easy to wipe off if you feel you need to. Things that could be better -- - The beeping. It is a lot of beeping. The device beeps when you press the main power button, which you have to do to turn it on, to select the combination type of treatment, to turn it off, and at the end of each session, which is only 20 minutes long. So if you use this device, every 20 minutes it is beeping, and then you have to make it beep again to start a new session, and it beeps when you select the initial intensity level. So far I am using this at home so it doesn't matter in terms of being discreet, but it is annoying, and if I were trying to use this in public/at work it would not be discreet at all. My hard-to-ruffle husband said, "Does it have to beep all the time?" I scoured the instructions -- unfortunately, the answer is yes. There is no setting to turn off the beeping. - It is weird every 20 minutes having to stop what I am doing and reach into my front of my pants to restart this device. Again, I am using this at home, so it doesn't matter much to me, but it would be awkward/impossible at a lot of workplaces or other public places. - The heat function is okay if you are looking for an extremely subtle amount of heat. I stopped selecting for it because I cannot tell it is on and I am thinking maybe it will make the charge last longer if I only run the TENS. - You get one set of gel pads. I would have liked to get two sets as this device is basically not useable without the gel pads, and it seems reasonable and courteous to the customer to pack an extra set in case of error when first learning to apply the gel pads, or some dysfunction with them etc. - Again, I do not have a flat abdomen, but with this on me I have an additional lumpy quality from the middle part. This is just the way it is with the manta ray sort of design this has, and doesn't bother me that much as I am not yet using this in public, but if you are, you need clothing which will obscure the device. - They state in the directions not to sleep with this, and I have not tried to, but I agree with the manufacturer that it is not a good idea. Unless you want something to only work for 20 minutes while you go to sleep, this device is not a good choice for pain relief when sleeping. It stops after 20 minutes with a beep, then has to be reactivated with more beeping that unless you sleep alone could be annoying to whoever else is in the room with you. Also, I am thinking that if you sleep on your stomach that could be bad for this device. So they do not claim that you can/should use this during sleep so keep that in mind with your expectations and you will be okay. I hope this review is helpful to someone!

I’ve been using this for a while now and I genuinely don’t know how I lived without it before. My cramps used to be debilitating. Like the kind where I would cancel plans, lay in bed, and just wait for it to pass. It was exhausting and frustrating every single month. Since getting this, it has made SUCH a difference. I can actually function now. I can go to work, run errands, and live my life without feeling like I’m being taken out by my own body. I was skeptical but it works. The EMS/TENS part is what helps the most for me. The pulsing sensation distracts from the cramping and somehow just makes everything calm down. It’s hard to explain but it really works. Within a few minutes I feel relief. The heating feature helps too. I would say it’s more of a bonus. It’s nice and comforting and takes the edge off, but the electrical stimulation part is the star of the show. I love that it’s small and sticks right onto your lower stomach. You can wear it under clothes and move around. I’ve worn it while doing things around the house and even while out, and no one would know. It’s so much better than being stuck with a bulky heating pad plugged into a wall. It's best with slightly bulkier pants like jeans. The only reason I’m not giving it 5 stars is because of the gel pads. First, the replacement pads can add up in price over time, so that’s something to keep in mind. Second, the gel pads have to be really flat against your skin to work properly. If one edge lifts even a little bit, the stimulation doesn’t feel right or it won’t run consistently. Sometimes I have to adjust it a few times to get it positioned perfectly. It’s not a huge deal, but when you’re already in pain, troubleshooting can be a little annoying. That said, once it’s on correctly, it works SO well. I can’t stress that enough. The difference between my cramps before and after using this is huge. If you struggle with bad period cramps, seriously TRY IT. I was skeptical at first, but now it’s something I reach for every month without thinking.