Could a tiny ear zap tame migraines?
NCT ID NCT07457268
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Sep 03, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
This study tested a device that sends mild electrical pulses to a nerve in the ear (trigeminal nerve) to see if it helps people with migraine. 102 adults with episodic migraine received either real or sham stimulation three times a week for 12 weeks. Researchers measured headache intensity, disability, sleep quality, and heart rate variability to see if the treatment works.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- transcutaneous auricular trigeminal nerve stimulation device
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a non-drug option to ease migraine pain and improve daily function.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed study with no phase designation. Results may not apply to all migraine types, and the device may not work better than a sham treatment.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
102 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Jan 2026
- Finished
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Jun 2026
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 to 45 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * being aged 18-45 years, * being literate in Turkish * having been diagnosed with episodic migraine without aura by a neurologist according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders, * having a history of migraine for at least 6 months with at least 2 attacks per month in the last 3 months. Exclusion Criteria: * being pregnant or breastfeeding; * regular use of analgesics or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for more than 15 days per month; * pacemaker implantation; * a history of addiction, syncope or abnormal ECG findings; * a history of intracranial haemorrhage or significant head trauma; * a diagnosis of epilepsy, severe anxiety or depression; * other types of headaches, including paresthesia or medication-overuse headaches; * cognitive, visual, or auditory problems that would prevent participation in the study.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Ordu University
Ordu, Ordu, 52200, Turkey (Türkiye)
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