Frequently asked questions

Is yōjō safe?

Yes. While vagus nerve stimulation has relatively few mild side effects, such as skin irritation, headaches, dizziness, nausea, and fatigue, these are rare. The yōjō device is based on scientific evidence and clinical experience, and is precision-engineered.

Who can use my yōjō device?

Only you should use your device. The way yōjō tracks your progress and adapts to your needs depends on your health metrics. While it is not dangerous that others use your device, doing so would diminish the accuracy of the guidance we can provide in your journey to being a better you.

Who should not use the yōjō device?

Don't use the device if you're pregnant or have an active implanted medical device like a pacemaker or cochlear implant. It’s also not recommended to use the device if you have serious health issues like uncontrolled cancer, advanced heart failure, or bleeding disorders. You should also be cautious about using the yōjō device if you get dizzy easily, have blocked ears, or are recovering from ear surgery. If you have conditions like diabetes with nerve damage, autoimmune disorders, a fever, an infection, or are undergoing chemotherapy or immunotherapy, talk to your doctor before using it.

Is my data safe?

We take all necessary precautions to keep your personal and medical information safe and secure.

How often can I use the yōjō device?

For the best results, use your yōjō for up to 30 minutes, 1–2 times a day. Do not exceed 3 sessions a day.

How will the yōjō device help me?

The yōjō VNS device is already helping tens of thousands improve their memory, sleep quality, chronic pain and headaches, decision-making, and mood. It also has the potential to reduce inflammation, regulate blood pressure, and alleviate symptoms of depression.

Does science support the efficacy of the yōjō VNS device?

Numerous studies on VNS show its benefits for overall wellness and treatment of depression and anxiety. VNS has been FDA-approved to treat primary headaches, treatment-resistant depression, refractory epilepsy, and morbid obesity. The role of the vagus nerve in overall health is very well understood and accepted.

How soon can I expect results from yōjō?

yōjō VNS sessions can have both fast and long-term effects. Heart rate and heart rate variability can improve within minutes, and cognitive function after about 20 minutes. Some conditions, like cluster headaches and mental fatigue from long COVID, may respond within days or weeks. Others, like depression, inflammatory disorders, and stroke recovery, show benefits over a few weeks to months. Long-term conditions such as epilepsy symptoms may take 6–9 months of consistent treatment to see significant improvement. The education and activities you can access on the yōjō app also have short-term and long-term effects. The resources should be considered foundational for behavior change that, while taking time to put in place, will ensure greater health in the long run.

What’s included in my yōjō subscription?

With your subscription comes a yōjō vagus nerve stimulation device, a precision-engineered earpiece, conductive earpiece lubrication gel pen, travel case, and charger. You can access all the activities, content, health metrics trackers, and well-being coach support on the yōjō app. And, to get you started on the right foot, we give you an onboarding consult to match your yōjō experience to your needs and values.

Do I have to use the yōjō app?

Yes. The yōjō app complements the yōjō device, deepening the impact our solution has on your well-being. The app provides helpful content and activities and gives you access to the guidance of trained well-being coaches. You will be able to choose what resonates with you and can expect to find the following: psychotherapy mind-body therapy breathwork art and music therapy exercise nutrition sleep restoration vagus nerve self-activation acupressure and self-massage techniques education

What does the yōjō app track?

Inaccurate diagnoses are a major problem in pain management, because they lead to inappropriate treatments. The more accurate your diagnosis, the less guesswork — costly trial and error — there is and the more effective your treatment is.

How do I pair the yōjō device and app?

Turn on your yōjō device. Open the yōjō app. Click “Pair”.

How long does the yōjō take to charge?

Your yōjō device’s battery should last between 6–8 hours and take around 3 hours for a full charge.

How does the vitals tracker work?

Using your phone’s camera, the yōjō vitals tracker creates a 3D model of your face and then detects changes in skin color and micro movements using rPPG and rBCG technology. The rPPG technology picks up on tiny color changes in your skin caused by blood flow. And the rBCG technology captures the very small movements you make with each heartbeat. By looking at these small changes in color and movement, the vitals tracker can read your heart rate, heart rate variability, blood pressure, breathing rate, and stress levels. It can even measure how hard your heart is working and how active your rest-and-recover system is. All of this gives you a clearer picture of your heart and nervous system health.

How do I contact my well-being coach?

You can contact your well-being coach by opening a chat with them on the yōjō app.

What should I do if the yōjō device causes discomfort?

If stimulation is uncomfortable, try lowering the intensity. Adjust it until you feel no more than a light tingling or pulsing sensation. If that sensation becomes too strong or starts to burn or itch, it’s best to stop and contact yōjō.

What makes yōjō different from other wellness products?

yōjō takes a direct and indirect, biopsychosocial approach to wellness. The yōjō VNS device stimulates the nervous system directly through the vagus nerve, reinvigorating the autonomic nervous system and balancing the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. While the device influences nerve activity to support therapeutic outcomes, especially in cases where other treatments haven’t been effective, the yōjō app provides indirect support: education, activities to include in your daily routines, mental health skills, and positive habit formation. It tracks progress and analyzes your health metrics to adapt to your needs. yōjō well-being coaches also provide data-informed, clinically validated guidance along your road to a better quality of life.

What is the vagus nerve, and why is it important?

The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve in the body, often called ‘the wanderer’ for its extensive reach. It carries information between the brain and vital organs, making it essential for nervous system function. The vagus nerve contributes to processes involved in mood, digestion, sleep, inflammation, pain, and immunity.

What does the yōjō device do to the body?

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) activates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping the body relax after stress by slowing heart rate, reducing inflammation, and supporting digestion and metabolism. yōjō’s VNS device activates the vagus nerve, a major communication highway between the brain and many internal organs. The vagus nerve is part of the parasympathetic nervous system, responsible for rest, digestion, and recovery. Activating it regularly improves parasympathetic nervous system function.

Is vagus nerve stimulation natural?

VNS does not occur naturally, so technology or specific exercises can be used to support it. The yōjō device is a non-invasive (nVNS) device that’s placed on the outer ear, and painless electrical currents stimulate the vagus nerve.

What are the benefits of stimulating the vagus nerve?

VNS can improve memory, sleep quality, chronic pain and headaches, decision-making, and mood regulation. There are many other physical and emotional benefits, like lowered inflammation, blood pressure regulation, reduced symptoms of depression, lower frequencies of drug-resistant epileptic seizures, and healthy weight loss.

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