Author Note: If after reading, you found this Blog Post to be beneficial and are going to buy from Amazon anyway, you might consider using one of my Amazon Affiliate links below. As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases and I may receive some sort of credit for the time spent researching and writing this Post should you decide to purchase. Revitive Circulation Booster Amazon UK
If you are buying this device in the US you can use this link Revitive Circulation Booster Amazon US
My business isn't a huge moneymaker so I have to branch out into different things to get by. There are also more of my Affiliate links throughout the Post that link to Amazon UK. I only added the Affiliate links after this post went beyond 2,000 views.
The Peripheral Neuropathy Issue
Some time before writing this Blog Post, I had the misfortune to develop pain, numbness, pins and needle stabbing sensations in both of my feet. It started out of the blue in one foot and by the next day the other foot had identical symptoms. The pain made me so anxious that I rang my Doctor for an appointment. I'm normally the type of person that waits for an extreme pain event or something falling off before going to the Doctor but these sensations were bad enough to make me want to go immediately.
Background, who am I to advise you?
After being pre-diabetic for a for about a year I became a Type 2 Diabetic during Covid in 2020 and this comes with a few negative side effects as anyone with this condition knows. Getting used to medication on a daily basis and removing items from my diet that I used to love is fairly rough going. Ongoing lack of energy and brain fog are another two symptoms that I developed and diabetics must come to terms with and will be familiar with these symptoms as time goes by.
Those symptoms paled in comparison with the Peripheral Neuropathy (PN) symptoms I started experiencing. I was aware of this being a complication of Diabetes but didn't think I would be bothered by anything even close until I was in my late 60s and beyond. In my late 40s I think this was a huge wake up call.
Pill Remedies
I desperately searched for medication and got lost in reviews and advice for various snake oils and vitamin supplements. Medical advice was leaning towards Vitamin D and B12 deficiencies with pain pills for pain management. My blood test revealed that B12 deficiency was not the issue and taking high dose vitamin D tablets didn't seem to resolve anything. Taking tablets long term, especially painkillers is not the healthiest way to treat something like this so I decided that circulation improvement was probably key in all this. Once that decision was made, I went looking for circulation boosters online.
Circulation Boosters
The vast majority of circulation boosters on Amazon were over the €100 mark but reviews were mixed. I find that reviews on Amazon can be very unhelpful at times as many people are usually for the the products and enough are against the product to make you hesitate in buying. A fantastic product can be marred by a few reviewers who are never happy with anything. Where is the real accurate information to be found. I was bothered by this so much I felt I had to write this Blog Post. Maybe it will help someone who is going through the same issues as I was.
I finally stumbled on the Revitive Circulation Booster. The price tag of €375 (at the time) made me very wary. Why was this device so much more expensive than others yet seemed so much less complicated? I went after every review I could find, visiting multiple websites in the process. There seemed to be mostly positive reviews on those websites with people finding great relief from poor circulation issues. Amazon had the usual negative people though so I had to discount many of those. I finally pulled the trigger and ordered one. Don't worry, they sell these in other countries beyond Ireland too, please read on.
Revitive, Finally Relief from Peripheral Neuropathy Pain
Any buyers remorse or skepticism of the Revitive Circulation Booster vanished after the first time I used the device. I will deal with its use in later paragraphs but for now I just wanted to share the fact that it worked. I'm not going to share the technical reasons for how it works, you'd be better off reading the technical information on the website where you are thinking of purchasing from. I'd only be rehashing manufacturers blurbs here and wasting your time. Please note that I bought the more expensive version with the digital display, see picture below. There is a cheaper Prohealth Version. I can't say how that one performs but I suspect it does most of what the more expensive one does but with a few less bells and whistles. You can find the ProHealth Version on Amazon UK here.
Baby Steps in the Beginning
I had to start low and build up slowly over the next few weeks to get used to the sensations but within days my PN symptoms were vastly reduced and my ankle and calf musculature were feeling much stronger. I write this blog post over a month after first using this device and I have reduced usage to one 30 minute session a day to maintain my feet. The sensations are not painful but if your setting is too high your muscles may contract painfully now and then. Take your time getting used to it and adjust down if it feels in any way more than you can handle.
My First Impressions
The unit is very well designed and on first inspection the light weight of the unit might make you suspicious of quality. Fear not, it works and gives very powerful sensations right up to your knees. The rechargeable batteries are a fantastic addition to this machine. Charge at home and use it for a few days on battery mode is a fantastic plus for this machine.
A lot of the other circulation boosters I looked at had fixed electrical leads so you had to stay close to a socket to use. The Revitive Circulation Booster is 100% portable and can be set up to use in seconds. The rubber matting for under your feet is very comfortable but you may have to keep readjusting your feet position as the machine is working. The remote control is a blessing, especially for people with limited mobility or bigger mid sections. Just point and click to increase or decrease the intensity. From my own point of view it was great to finally have some relief from Peripheral Neuropathy pain with the added benefit of stronger calves and ankles.
How I tested the Revitive
I first charged the Revitive Circulation Booster unit for about 2 hours. I was a little impatient to see if I had wasted my money or not. I started the unit and was gradually increasing the intensity about 2 clicks at a time. When I got to 20 I had to stop as I thought my calf muscles would snap. Recommended settings for PN improvement is 40 and above and I thought I'd never reach that when the sensations at 20 were so powerful. I now know that it was because of muscle weakness which strengthens as you use this device.
I began with 2 x 30 minute sessions a day with a break of about 2 hours in between. Within a few days I was managing to get to levels above 30. The maximum sensations are normally in the first few minutes and again in the last 10 minutes but the sensations change all the time. The sensations are engaged for a few seconds with a relaxation break after and this keeps cycling during the operation time. If it is uncomfortable at any stage you can lower the intensity but it is the changing sensations that make this device so great.
At the time of writing, I use setting 58 fairly comfortably. The high sensations only last about 10 seconds before they calm down so try to go with them, they are less uncomfortable the more you use the device. You can always lift your feet off the device and it will automatically pause.
Added Note; Every time you stop using this unit for a few days or weeks your muscle tone will drop and you will have to build up at a lower setting once again. I had to go from setting 58 down to 36 or so after I took a break for over a week and try to build up again.
The Underside of the Revitive
The underside of the Revitive Circulation Booster unit is very simple. There are 4 grips to stop it from sliding and 2 pivot points which allow your muscles to move up and down. That's it, nothing complicated about it. I have hidden the barcode here for obvious reasons.
It Also has a Tens Function
The Revitive Circulation Booster also comes with a port for Tens patches so you can treat pain in other areas of the body. I have not tested this yet as my focus is primarily on my feet circulation problems. I may or may not use this feature as I already have a Tens Machine for pain relief. This is a nice bonus feature though.
Pros and Cons
I could not find fault with this device at all. The only issue I have is that it keeps moving away from the chair as I'm using it. This is probably due to the fact that I use it on carpet. I'm sure I could find a rubber or yoga mat that might fix this. This is not a big issue anyway and I normally just pull the machine back towards the chair with my feet between active sensations.
You might find that some days the contact is less because your feet are dry. I don't normally have this issue because I use the Revitive Circulation Booster after my workouts when my skin is damp from perspiration. You can buy conductive gels but you may get the same result by wiping a damp cloth across the soles of your feet.
I tried Aloe Vera moisturiser after a review mentioned it was ok for conducting, it worked but my feet kept sliding off the unit. My view is that buying a conducting gel is an unnecessary expense.
Further Advice
If I'm going to take advice from anyone, I would like to get it direct from someone in the same boat as me. As a Diabetic and a sufferer of Peripheral Neuropathy, my experience might save you time, money and a bit of pain and lead you on a path to healing. The symptoms of PN are no joke when they start so if you are Diabetic or have circulation issues; prevention is better than cure!
Another Pro use, It can also be used by healthy sporty types for toning muscles while watching TV. In fact, anyone in your home can use the device to strengthen their lower legs and improve circulation.
Please Note: Revitive Circulation Booster®, including Medic Knee should not be used by people who are: Fitted with an electronic implanted device such as a heart pacemaker or Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (AICD) Being treated for, or have the symptoms of, an existing Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) or Pregnant.
In Conclusion
Don't worry about the price, I did to begin with but I went ahead with the purchase anyway. I now believe it was worth every single penny. I bought the unit in Boots Ireland, you are free to buy the unit anywhere you wish. I have added my Amazon UK Affiliate link throughout this blog post, so I may receive a credit should you make a purchase there. If you enjoyed reading this post and normally buy from Amazon UK then it would help me out too.
Check out the Revitive Circulation Booster Please note, prices are subject to change.
If you are suffering from PN, I hope this device brings the same relief to you as it did to me. If this review has helped, I would love to hear from you in the comments below. All the Best, David
Addendum After Writing this Blog Post
While I was getting these PN foot pains I was also getting a kind of squeezing, contracting pain in the toes of my left foot while sitting down. This was down to reduced circulation and was hard to ignore. Even warm slippers failed to relieve the pain. This was all during Summertime so imagine what the Winter was going to be like.
I searched for anything I could wrap around my foot while sitting down watching TV. I could not find anything suitable until I eventually came across a Foot Cast Sock on Amazon UK. I initially ordered the XL but found that far too big. I then ordered the next one down, size L and that seemed to fit much better. I bought a second one soon after. I wear these anytime I feel any bit of cold. If you struggle with the same thing, maybe these will work for you. I'm a UK size 11 shoe and the L is loose fitting for me. Try a size down from your normal size, you can always send it back. There are no grips underneath so they are not suitable for walking around the house. I hope that helps!
Medical Check-up
Maybe I should have pushed this paragraph further up but it needs to be said somewhere. If you are experiencing Peripheral Neuropathy, your first stop should be to a Doctor to get a blood test. This will rule out any mineral deficiencies or any more serious illnesses that you need to know about. A circulation Booster is a great health aid regardless but getting a Check-Up will give you piece of mind.
Walking Helps Neuropathy Symptoms
You've probably heard that 30 minutes of exercise 5 times a week is vital for your health. Hard to do if you are a busy person isn't it? I recently talked with another diabetic and told them how difficult I find it to use my Concept 2 rowing machine during the week. I'm ok at the start of the week but struggle to do it later in the week. His advice to me was to go for a daily walk or use a treadmill for 30 mins instead everyday. If you can't do 30 minutes, do whatever you can. 5 or 10 minutes is better than nothing at all. My treadmill belt slips for the first 2 minutes or so which is the reason I stopped using it some time ago. I hate going outside for a walk, always seemed pointless to me even if it is a healthy activity. I've had to force myself to use it regardless.
I started using the treadmill everyday at a 2.5 incline and 5.7km/hr. 6km/hr was causing some knee pain so I backed off a bit. The incline causes a good sweat after 10 mins or so and does burn off sugar in the body, this continues after exercising. PN symptoms will become less severe after a few days no matter what part of the body is affected. You are oxygenating your blood and pushing blood out to the starving nerves which counteracts the PN symptoms. You will feel better both physically and psychologically after your exercise. A treadmill session with music or TV on in the background will distract you and make it easier. If you like the outdoors, go for a walk in a park but push yourself a little more than your normal walking speed for best benefit. I definitely felt an improvement by bringing walking back into my exercise plan, hopefully it will work for you too.
Additional Note after using Revitive for a few months
Now that I have been using this device for a few months I felt a little update was in order. I still experience the benefits of using the Revitive Circulation Booster although I might miss a day here and there and sometimes I leave it longer. One 30 minute session a day is all that is required to maintain my feet and calves in top condition and this can be done while watching TV. The device still performs perfectly although I have something new to report.
I have been using the Revitive daily on battery mode without connecting the charging cable, I generally don't like electrical devices connected to my body for obvious reasons even though this was designed to be used for both battery and mains use. After more than 3 sessions on battery mode I felt that the sensations were not as powerful as when the battery was at full charge. It still felt like it was doing something and I initially dismissed the issue.
I recommend you limit it to 2 or 3 uses on battery mode and then recharge the unit. This way you will get the best benefit from it. Someone else might not notice the weaker sensations but I definitely did. I thought maybe my feet were not conducting the signals properly at the time but I used it with a full charge after that and it was back to normal again. I hope this helps!
Another Update
Wow, I can't believe the views I'm receiving for this post. Dozens of countries all around the globe and everyone reading the full post too. I'm honoured! I have added a new update below.
Incrediwear
I thought I'd mention another product which is available in many countries I believe. Incrediwear Circulation Socks. Looking after your circulation through exercise, diet and circulation boosters is great but what about when you are sitting down doing nothing or lying in bed? Again I researched solutions without much success, each product promising the sun, moon and stars.
I have been using Incrediwear Knee Sleeves for exercise and knee pain management for some time and recently found out that they sell circulation socks as well. I was a bit skeptical about them being better than ordinary socks, especially when they cost about €25 a pair. I ordered a set of the ankle and crew socks to test them out and see for myself.
They worked. I still needed the large sock cover while watching TV on cold evenings. I wore the socks to bed each night and woke up to very warm feet and no pains. I don't know if it's just me but they feel a bit odd when being worn. Maybe that's the material encouraging blood flow, it's not uncomfortable; just an odd sensation and certainly far more manageable than poor circulation pains. I have since ordered another 6 pairs so I can wash them in turn and always have clean socks to wear. I still wear ordinary white sports socks for work during most days, I'm always active at work so my feet don't have time to be cold. I prefer the ankle socks for home and in bed on cold nights, the crew socks I wear outside from time to time.
FYI: I have no affiliation with Incrediwear, I have been buying their products for years and find them to be very good quality and they relieve pain. Feel free to judge for yourself or not. I have added a link to Amazon UK for Incrediwear here
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