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Ear zaps for tummy troubles? new study tests nerve stimulation for stomach pain

NCT ID NCT03603730

Symptom relief Sponsor: Massachusetts General Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jul 07, 2026 · Updated 3 times

Summary

This study tests whether a mild electrical pulse to the ear (taVNS) can change how the brain and stomach interact in people with chronic indigestion or gastroparesis. Researchers will use brain scans and stomach electrical readings to see if the stimulation helps. The goal is to find a new, drug-free way to ease stomach discomfort.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
auricular transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation (taVNS) device
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward a non-drug, ear-stimulation treatment for chronic stomach discomfort and bloating.
What could go wrong
This is an early exploratory study with only 65 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The stimulation may not produce meaningful symptom relief.

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

25 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Jul 2023

Finished

Mar 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 65 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show 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: * Male and female patients aged 18 and 65 years old (inclusive) * Comprehension of instructions * Avoidance of alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine for 25 hours prior to study session Exclusion Criteria: * BMI (Body Mass Index) more than 32 and/or weight \> 235 lbs. (limits of the MRI table) * Any other significant medical disease (systemic or CNS), psychiatric disorder, or chronic pain condition/s * Epilepsy or a prior history of seizures * Psychotropic medications or other medications that effect neurovascular coupling (i.e. fMRI) * Subjects taking illicit drugs or opioids * Allergy to pineapple (used in the test meal during MRI) * Contraindications for MRI: High magnetic fields may pose a serious health hazard to subjects with implanted ferromagnetic objects. Every subject in this study will be carefully screened before entering the high magnetic field shielded room to collect a precise outline of the subject's medical history. Subjects with the following characteristics/disease will not be eligible to participate in the study: -History of Head Trauma -Any metallic implants (e.g. braces or permanent retainers) -Tattoos with metallic ink above the nipple line -Surgical Aneurysm Clips -Cardiac Pacemaker -Prosthetic Heart Valve -Neurostimulator -Implanted pumps -Cochlear Implants -Metal rods, Plates -Screws -Recent Previous Surgery -IUD -Hearing Aid -Dentures (which might create NMR artifacts) -Metal Injury to eyes -Pregnancy or plans to become pregnant -Breast Feeding -Meniere's Disease -Transdermal (skin) patches such as NicoDerm (nicotine for tobacco dependence), Transderm Scop, or Ortho Evra (birth control) -Non-normally cycling females -Claustrophobia

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

dyspepsia gastroparesis

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Dyspepsia Gastroparesis Healthy adult

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Massachusetts General Hospital

    Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, United States

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.