Medical Information Only. Always consult your healthcare provider before enrolling in any clinical trial.
Effects of External Ear Stimulation on Pain Perception and Mood
NCT02821741 · View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Study Summary
Background: The vagus nerve runs from the brain to many organs. Stimulating it can affect the experience of pain. The nerve can be stimulated on the surface of the left ear. Researchers want to study how this stimulation affects the perception of pain. They also want to study how mood affects the experience of pain. Objective: To study the effects of mood and vagus nerve stimulation on the experience of pain. Eligibility: Healthy people ages 18 and older who are fluent in English Design: Participants will be pre-screened with a 15-minute phone call. Participants will have three 2-hour visits. At the screening visit, participants will be screened with: Medical and psychiatric history Physical and psychological exams Questionnaires about physical and psychiatric health and mood Urine tests A heat probe on the forearm. The temperature will be increased until it is painful but tolerable. Participants will have 2 testing sessions within 7 days. Before the testing, they cannot do the following: Eat, use nicotine, or exercise for at least 2 hours Drink alcohol for 24 hours Take certain medicines for 3 days Testing includes: Urine drug screening Left ear stimulation: In one session, the vagus nerve will be stimulated. In the other, an area of the ear away from the vagus nerve will be stimulated. This will be done with mild electric shocks that cause a tingling, pricking, or itchy feeling. Heat applied to the forearm until it is painful but tolerable Completing several forms on a computer or on paper about how they are feeling Monitors on the chest and a finger clip to monitor heart, breathing, and blood pressure
Conditions Studied
Interventions
- DEVICE The Twin Stim Plus, 3rd Edition
- DEVICE Medoc Pathway System
Study Locations (1)
Maryland
- National Institutes of Health Clinical Center — Bethesda
Trial Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Enrollment Target | 76 participants |
| Start Date | 2016-10-18 |
| Est. Completion | 2026-03-30 |
| Phase | NA |
Interested in This Trial?
Always speak with your doctor before enrolling in a clinical trial.
Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗What the Registry Record Tells You About NCT02821741
The ClinicalTrials.gov registry entry for NCT02821741 describes a study currently listed as recruiting. It is categorized as NA, which is the standard way researchers label where a study sits along the investigational pathway from early safety work through later efficacy and post-marketing evaluation. The registered enrollment target is 76 participants, a figure that helps gauge the scale of data the investigators plan to collect. The listed sponsor is National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), which has 55 total studies on file at ClinicalTrials.gov, and sponsors are the parties responsible for study design, oversight, and regulatory filings.
The record links to 1 condition, with Pain in Healthy Participants appearing as the primary indexed condition, and to 2 interventions — of which The Twin Stim Plus, 3rd Edition is the first listed. Interventions can include drugs, devices, procedures, behavioral programs, or observational arms, and each is tracked as a separate registry field so that downstream queries can filter accurately. When a trial lists multiple interventions, it usually reflects a multi-arm design or a comparison protocol rather than a single treatment being tested in isolation. The brief summary published in the registry is the clearest source of protocol intent and should be read before drawing conclusions from any sidebar tags.
Geographic footprint matters for practical reasons: NCT02821741 reports 1 study location spanning 1 distinct geographic area — top geographies include Maryland. A larger site network tends to correlate with broader recruitment capacity, but it does not imply anything about study quality, and site-level enrollment status can diverge from the overall registry status shown above. Every data point on this page comes from the public ClinicalTrials.gov dataset and is reproduced here for reference only; it is not a medical recommendation, an endorsement of the sponsor, or an invitation to enroll. Verify current status, eligibility criteria, and contact details directly at ClinicalTrials.gov, and discuss any participation decision with your own healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is clinical trial NCT02821741 about?
NCT02821741 is a clinical study titled "Effects of External Ear Stimulation on Pain Perception and Mood". Background: The vagus nerve runs from the brain to many organs. Stimulating it can affect the experience of pain. The nerve can be stimulated on the surface of the left ear. Researchers want to study how this stimulation affects the perception of pain. They also want to study how mood affects the e...
What is the current status of trial NCT02821741?
This trial is currently recruiting. It is a NA study. The enrollment target is 76 participants. The study started on 2016-10-18. Estimated completion is 2026-03-30.
What conditions does trial NCT02821741 study?
This clinical trial studies the following conditions: Pain in Healthy Participants. These conditions were identified from the trial registry and reflect the primary focus areas of the research.
What interventions are being tested in trial NCT02821741?
The interventions under investigation include: The Twin Stim Plus, 3rd Edition (DEVICE), Medoc Pathway System (DEVICE). Each intervention is being evaluated for safety and efficacy as part of this clinical study.
Who is sponsoring clinical trial NCT02821741?
This trial is sponsored by National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), which has 55 total clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. The sponsor is responsible for the study's design, funding, and regulatory compliance.
Where is trial NCT02821741 being conducted?
This trial has 1 study location across Maryland. Contact the study sites directly through ClinicalTrials.gov for enrollment availability.
Learn More About Clinical Trials
How Clinical Trials Work
Understand phases 1-4, trial design, randomization, and the informed consent process.
Patient Rights in Clinical Trials
Your rights as a participant: consent, withdrawal, privacy, and who to contact.
Finding the Right Clinical Trial
A practical guide to searching trials, understanding eligibility, and evaluating options.
All Guides
Browse our complete library of clinical trial educational resources.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.