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
Published in PTSD
BS, MA Passionate about executive functioning disorder treatment and healing, particularly for individuals suffering from overlapping symptoms of trauma and ADHD. I am dedicating my life and career toward expanding the cultural and clinical understanding of individuals labelled (by the DSM) as having both PSTD and ADHD. My provisional telos is to find best practices for healing, contingent upon progressive states (of the individual and in the field of psychology) that emerge.
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