Vagus nerve stimulation is primarily used for treating neuropsychiatric disorders, reducing inflammation, and controlling muscle tone. Nonspecific chronic neck pain is a prevalent musculoskeletal condition characterized by persistent neck pain without an identifiable structural pathology and is often associated with functional limitations, sleep disturbances, and reduced quality of life.
Objective
This pilot study evaluates the effectiveness of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) as a non-invasive treatment for nonspecific chronic neck pain.
Methods
Thirty-six participants were randomly assigned to a taVNS group or a conventional treatment group. Pain intensity, muscle strength and range of motion of the neck were primary outcomes, while neck disability and sleep quality were secondary outcomes. All measures were assessed at baseline and after 15 treatment sessions. Statistical analyses included mixed-methods ANOVA, Student's t-test, and Mann-Whitney U test.
Results
taVNS significantly reduced neck pain and improved extensor muscle strength, cervical range of motion, and sleep quality compared to baseline (p < 0.05). Compared with conventional treatment, the taVNS group showed greater improvements in extensor muscle strength and neck disability (p < 0.05), while other outcomes were similar between groups.
Conclusion
taVNS appears to be a safe intervention with short-term effects comparable to conventional treatments in non-specific chronic neck pain. Although greater improvements were observed in muscle strength and neck disability, overall superiority was not demonstrated. Given the short duration and small sample size, the results cannot be generalized.
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