Have Knee Pain? The Solution Might be Through Your Ear

Stimulating the vagus nerve through the ear improved knee pain for some patients.

For the nearly 1 in 4 Americans suffering from knee pain…a new study reveals pain relief may be possible through the ear.

According to early trial results, stimulating the vagus nerve through the ear improved knee pain for some patients. For the initial trial, a nerve simulation device was placed on the ear for an hour. The device then sent electrical pulses to the branch of the nerve running through the ear. Overall, a third of the participants felt a noticeable improvement in their knee pain following treatment. Researchers say the findings were solid enough to warrant a larger follow-up clinical trial.