Could a gentle zing behind the ears fix concussion balance woes?
NCT ID NCT07466589
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study is testing a small, wearable device that sends a barely noticeable electrical current behind the ears to see if it can improve balance and walking in people still struggling with dizziness weeks after a concussion. About 32 adults aged 18 to 55 with persistent symptoms will try different stimulation levels during standard balance tests. The goal is to find out if this gentle stimulation can help the brain re-calibrate its sense of balance.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- wearable electrical stimulation device (stochastic galvanic vestibular stimulation)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could provide a non-invasive, drug-free way to help people with lingering balance problems after a concussion.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study with only 32 participants, so results may not apply widely. The stimulation is very mild and may not produce noticeable improvements.
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
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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
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About 32 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Aug 2025
- Expected to finish
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Mar 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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A company
The lead sponsor is a pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical-device company.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 55 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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: 1. Age 18-55 2. Diagnosed with concussion, evaluated at the University of Michigan 3. Symptoms persistent greater than 4-6 weeks 4. Self-reported imbalance 5. Must be able to attend in-person session. No racial/ethnic groups will be excluded, although all participants must be fluent speakers of English. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Anyone under the age of 18 or over the age of 55 2. Presence of prior diagnosis of peripheral vestibulopathy 3. Women who are pregnant 4. Inability to complete testing (e.g., severe symptom burden, inability to stand unassisted).
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of Michigan, Michigan Medicine
RECRUITINGAnn Arbor, Michigan, 48109, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Eyes on the brain: could a quick eye scan detect concussion?
- New cognitive rehab program aims to clear mental fog after mild brain injury
- New combo therapy for concussion tested in small trial
- Can a smartphone app speed up concussion recovery in teens?
- Mind over matter? study probes if imagining movements worsens Post-Concussion pain
- Smart sensors could revolutionize concussion rehab