*Note: I have been gifted the Benepod product as part of a sponsored product review process. All opinions expressed in this review are my own, honest and in no way influenced by the company. This post also contains affiliate links. While it will not cost you anything to click on the link, I will get a small referral fee from any purchase, which will be used for the intended purpose of maintaining this blog. Thank you!
Review of Benepod
The Benepod uses hot and cold contrast therapy at the same time for pain management. It’s like an icy hot patch but without needing to stick anything on your body.
Small device but effective
I am always searching for new ways to manage the pain I experience from rheumatoid arthritis. The Benepod is external and drug-free. Many of us living with different types of arthritis take internal methods for pain such as, pharmaceutical drugs. While this is often unavoidable or needed for some time to help symptoms and disease activity, it is nice to have alternative options for pain management that yield safer results without side effects.
Since I’m a big fan of alternative solutions and therapies, I was excited to test out the Benepod device these past few months.
How does it work?
It uses your bodies natural healing abilities by creating a sensation known as the, thermal grill illusion. What is this? It is the feeling that occurs when our bodies nerve receptors can’t pick up on the difference between the hot and cold stimuli. This in turn creates a strong sensation on the skin which reduces or even rids the pain for a period of time.
Good for the following ailments:
- Neck Pain
- Knee Pain
- Arthritis of the hands
- Headaches
- Other forms of musculoskeletal related pain
My Experience with Testing the Benepod
Given that I fit 4 out of the 5 criteria above for what the device is used for, I decided to give it a go for a few months. I wanted to write a fair review because as a person who has lived with chronic pain for almost 15 years ranging from very mild to severe as can be, some external products effectiveness can fade after sometime.
I used the device on my hands, elbows, shoulders, knee, ankles, upper and lower back. Each day with rheumatoid arthritis is different. So I tried it as soon as I woke up on any areas that may have been mildly sore and achy, before taking any of my conventional pain medications and supplements and it proved to work.
Then I tried it on my most problematic areas; hands, wrists and elbow. Even though the pain in these areas is relatively controlled now, I still have joint and other soft tissue damage that can cause pain from time to time. I tested it out on a mild pain day and it seemed to numb any discomfort totally and never came back. On a few bad days, I found it helped for several hours and then I would need to use it again a second or third time within the same day. Afterwards, the results lasted longer.
What I Did Like
- Drug-free
- Non-invasive
- Light weight and small. Fits in the palm of your hand
- Take it on the go
- Can be used safely with other conventional or alternative pain management plans
- Price is $99 dollars on Amazon which is a lot less than pain relieving methods
- Shuts off automatically after its 20-minute cycle
- Just plug it in when you’re ready to use again
- Green light sensor lets you know it’s on
What I Didn’t Like as Much
- Has to be plugged into use. Here is why:
The device uses a standard wall charger and USB-C cable. The cool thing though is that it’s used with most USB accessories like portable battery cell phone chargers or other electronics that are similar. So in a way you can take it on the go. For home use you will need to stay put somewhere comfortable to use.
- The sensation you feel may not be comfortable at first. It’s not a silent feeling. I do cold laser therapy that helps with pain and inflammation too but you don’t feel that it’s helping, even if it is. For this it was shocking to me at first but overall it’s not that big of a deal, you get use to it and is no different then applying an ice cube to your skin or getting into a bath or stepping into the shower with very warm water.
- It doesn’t help with swelling or chronic inflammation. Pain is one thing but inflammation is equally important to tame. Although if it can help with pain, then that’s pretty rad.
Last Thoughts
So the verdict is in. Benepod for the win!
While I wish this device was a cure, it’s not. However, it does help manage mild to moderate/severe pain. Each person is different so my experience may or may not be the same as yours. I do rely on my conventional and alternative treatments still, which help a lot. This doesn’t replace my current treatment regimen. Since I have an allergy to ibuprofen and most NSAIDS, I like that I have another non-invasive tool to add in my arsenal of pain relieving products.
If you are like me, then you may want to consider this. I’m happy I got a chance to test this out and will continue to use it.
You can go here to view the product and purchase if interested:
Other recent review to check out:
Seven Go-To Shoes Those Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis Must Know About
Disclaimer: These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. Consult a medical professional before starting or trying out a new health routine, method, diet and/or supplements.
