A new study by researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine shows that pain associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may be effectively treated by noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation. PTSD is treated most typically with psychotherapy, other trauma-focused therapeutic treatments, and in the psychiatric field with antidepressants and/or anti-anxiety medications. Due to the study being a pilot, there were many limitations, including a low number of participants. Although, this study is promising for the field of trauma studies in the sense that vagus nerve stimulation may be a new treatment options for chronic pain and persistent PTSD symptoms. The VA (in collaboration with Lerman and colleagues) plans to conduct more research with larger cohorts. If you are interested in reading the full article by Dr. Imanuel Lerman, et al. click on the download button below.
New Chronic Pain and PTSD Treatment: Noninvasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation
More from PTSDMore posts in PTSD »
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, complex PTSD, and Loneliness Study
- Can Psilocybin Help Treat PTSD?
- How Adverse Childhood Experiences Impact Adult Attachment
- Distinguishing PTSD, Complex PTSD, and Borderline Personality Disorder: A latent class analysis (Clinical Research Article)
- Trauma Focused Treatment in Psychosis