Effects of the Timing of Vagus Nerve Stimulation Combined With Exercise in Chronic Neck Pain

August 12, 2026 updated by: Ismail Saracoglu, Kutahya Health Sciences University

Does Timing Matter? Effects of Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Before and After Exercise in Chronic Neck Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This randomized controlled trial aims to investigate whether the timing of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) relative to exercise influences clinical and autonomic outcomes in individuals with chronic neck pain.

Participants will be randomly allocated to one of three groups: taVNS applied before exercise, taVNS applied after exercise, or exercise alone. All groups will receive a standardized exercise program designed for chronic neck pain. The intervention will be conducted over a 6- to 8-week period.

The effects of the interventions will be evaluated using pain intensity, neck-related disability, sleep quality, heart rate variability, and exercise adherence. The study will determine whether applying taVNS before or after exercise provides additional benefits compared with exercise alone and whether the timing of stimulation influences treatment outcomes.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Chronic neck pain is a common musculoskeletal condition associated with pain, functional limitations, sleep disturbances, and alterations in autonomic nervous system activity. Exercise therapy is one of the main conservative treatment approaches for chronic neck pain. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation method that aims to stimulate the auricular branch of the vagus nerve and may influence parasympathetic activity and pain modulation.

The purpose of this randomized controlled trial is to investigate whether the timing of taVNS relative to exercise influences clinical and physiological outcomes in individuals with chronic neck pain.

A total of 81 participants with chronic neck pain will be randomly allocated to three parallel groups. Participants in the first group will receive taVNS before performing a standardized exercise program. Participants in the second group will perform the same exercise program followed by taVNS. Participants in the control group will receive the exercise program alone.

The exercise program will include postural correction exercises, deep cervical flexor activation exercises, cervical mobility exercises, scapular stabilization exercises, and stretching exercises. The intervention period will last approximately 6-8 weeks.

Participants will be evaluated before and after the intervention period. Pain intensity will be assessed using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale, neck-related disability using the Neck Disability Index, sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and autonomic nervous system activity using heart rate variability, particularly the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD). Exercise adherence and session attendance will also be recorded.

The study will compare changes in these outcomes among the three groups to determine whether the timing of taVNS relative to exercise influences the effectiveness of rehabilitation in individuals with chronic neck pain.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

81

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Türkiye
      • Kütahya, Türkiye, Turkey (Türkiye), 43100
        • Kutahya Health Sciences University Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Research Center
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Merve Akdeniz LEBLEBİCİER, MD
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Batuhan YUKSEL, Msc.

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosis of chronic neck pain confirmed by a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician.
  • Age between 18 and 65 years.
  • Neck pain persisting or recurring for at least 3 months.
  • Ability to participate in the exercise program included in the study protocol.
  • No contraindication to transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation.
  • Willingness to provide written informed consent.
  • Willingness to participate regularly in the planned exercise and assessment sessions.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Cervical radiculopathy or specific neurological findings.
  • Previous cervical spine surgery.
  • Serious cardiovascular disease.
  • Serious neurological or systemic disease.
  • Pregnancy.
  • Orthopedic or musculoskeletal conditions preventing participation in exercise.
  • Cognitive or communication problems that prevent completion of the assessment instruments.
  • Inability or unwillingness to comply with the study protocol or attend scheduled sessions.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: taVNS Before Exercise
Participants will receive transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation before performing the standardized exercise program.
Device: Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (taVNS)
Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation will be delivered non-invasively through an auricular stimulation device targeting the auricular branch of the vagus nerve. Stimulation will be administered under researcher supervision using standardized stimulation parameters according to the device instructions and study protocol.
Other: Exercise Program
Participants will perform a standardized exercise program for chronic neck pain including postural correction, deep cervical flexor activation, cervical mobility, scapular stabilization, and stretching exercises. Exercises will be performed under researcher supervision during the intervention period.
Experimental: taVNS After Exercise
Participants will first perform the standardized exercise program and will subsequently receive transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation.
Device: Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (taVNS)
Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation will be delivered non-invasively through an auricular stimulation device targeting the auricular branch of the vagus nerve. Stimulation will be administered under researcher supervision using standardized stimulation parameters according to the device instructions and study protocol.
Other: Exercise Program
Participants will perform a standardized exercise program for chronic neck pain including postural correction, deep cervical flexor activation, cervical mobility, scapular stabilization, and stretching exercises. Exercises will be performed under researcher supervision during the intervention period.
Active Comparator: Exercise only
Participants will receive the standardized exercise program without transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation.
Other: Exercise Program
Participants will perform a standardized exercise program for chronic neck pain including postural correction, deep cervical flexor activation, cervical mobility, scapular stabilization, and stretching exercises. Exercises will be performed under researcher supervision during the intervention period.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Pain Intensity - Numeric Pain Rating Scale
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the 6 week interventions
Pain intensity will be assessed using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS). Participants will rate their neck pain on an 11-point scale ranging from 0 to 10, where 0 indicates "no pain" and 10 indicates "worst imaginable pain." Higher scores indicate greater pain intensity. Change from baseline will be compared between groups.
Baseline and immediately after completion of the 6 week interventions
Change in Neck-Related Disability - Neck Disability Index
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the 6 weeks interventions.
Neck-related disability will be assessed using the Neck Disability Index (NDI). The questionnaire consists of 10 sections scored from 0 to 5, producing a total score ranging from 0 to 50. Higher scores indicate greater neck-related disability.
Baseline and immediately after completion of the 6 weeks interventions.
Change in Sleep Quality - Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the 6 weeks intervention.
Sleep quality will be assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The PSQI evaluates seven components of sleep and provides a global score ranging from 0 to 21. Higher scores indicate poorer sleep quality.
Baseline and immediately after completion of the 6 weeks intervention.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Exercise Adherence
Time Frame: Throughout the 6-8-week intervention period.
Exercise adherence will be assessed based on participant attendance at scheduled treatment sessions. Adherence will be expressed as the number and/or percentage of completed sessions relative to the total number of planned sessions.
Throughout the 6-8-week intervention period.
Change in Heart Rate Variability - RMSSD
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the 6 weeks intervention.
Autonomic nervous system activity will be assessed using heart rate variability. The root mean square of successive differences between normal heartbeats (RMSSD), expressed in milliseconds, will be used as the primary heart rate variability parameter. Higher RMSSD values generally represent greater parasympathetic/vagal activity.
Baseline and immediately after completion of the 6 weeks intervention.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Kutahya Health Sciences University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

September 14, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

June 30, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

September 15, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 12, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 12, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

August 17, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 17, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 12, 2026

Last Verified

August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • BatuPHD

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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