Ear nerve stimulation to reduce chronic pain
Understanding the Mechanistic, Neurophysiological, and Antinociceptive Effects of Transcutaneous Auricular Neurostimulation for Treatment of Chronic Pain
This research tests whether noninvasive ear nerve stimulation can reduce chronic pain and help adults on long-term opioids, including easing withdrawal symptoms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Med Br Galveston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Galveston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11144323 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would receive transcutaneous auricular neurostimulation (tAN) using a small, FDA-cleared device that sends gentle pulses to nerves in the ear. Researchers will track your pain, mood, and nervous-system responses during treatment and may pair sessions with a supervised opioid taper for participants on long-term opioids. The team will measure biological signals related to opioid neurotransmission and brain/nerve activity to understand how the device produces pain relief. Those findings will be used to refine stimulation settings so care can be more personalized in the future.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with chronic pain—especially people on long-term opioid therapy or planning a supervised opioid taper—would be ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without chronic pain, children, or those not taking opioids are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could offer a non-drug option to lower pain and make it easier and safer for patients to reduce opioid use.
How similar studies have performed: Related auricular nerve stimulation devices have shown benefit for pain and the Sparrow system is FDA-cleared for pain during opioid withdrawal, but the precise mechanisms remain novel and not fully proven.
Where this research is happening
Galveston, United States
- University of Texas Med Br Galveston — Galveston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wilkes, Denise — University of Texas Med Br Galveston
- Study coordinator: Wilkes, Denise
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.