Can a zap on the ear unlock the body's own pain relief?

NCT ID NCT05490134

Recruiting now Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Medical University of South Carolina Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This study in 136 healthy adults tests whether a 30-minute nerve stimulation on the ear (tAN) reduces pain by releasing the body's natural opioids. Half the participants get a drug (naloxone) that blocks opioid effects, while the other half get a placebo. By comparing pain thresholds, researchers can see if the nerve stimulation works through the opioid system. The goal is to understand how this non-drug pain relief works, not to treat any disease.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: naloxone
What this could lead to: If it works, this could clarify how nerve stimulation reduces pain, potentially leading to better non-drug pain treatments.
What could go wrong: This is a very early, small study in healthy people, not patients. It only measures pain thresholds in a lab, not real-world pain relief.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

agnosia pain agnosia

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

ANALGESIA

Contacts and locations

Locations

Medical University of South Carolina
RECRUITING

Charleston, South Carolina, 29425, United States

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