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Exploring Mild Electrical Vestibular Stimulation as a New Treatment for Dizziness and Migraine Symptoms
Sponsor: University of Calgary
Summary
Vestibular migraine is a common cause of repeated dizziness, imbalance, and headaches that affects about three percent of Canadians. Many people do not find relief from current medications, leaving them with long term problems in balance and daily function. This study will test a new, non drug based treatment called electrical vestibular stimulation (EVS). EVS delivers gentle, safe electrical signals behind the ears to activate the brain's vestibular pathways. Fifty adults with vestibular migraine will take part. Half will receive real stimulation, and half will receive a sham (placebo) treatment. Each participant will attend six sessions over two weeks. Around the treatment period, they will record dizziness and migraine symptoms in a daily diary and complete questionnaires and balance tests using motion sensors. The main goal is to determine whether EVS can be delivered safely and comfortably in adults with vestibular migraine and whether participants can complete the sessions and assessments as planned. Results will also show whether symptoms or balance improve, providing essential information to design a larger clinical trial and, ultimately, develop new, accessible treatments for dizziness and migraine.
Official title: Electrical Vestibular Stimulation as a Novel Neuromodulation Therapy for Vestibular Migraine: a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
50
Start Date
2026-02-01
Completion Date
2029-12-31
Last Updated
2026-01-26
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
Electrical Vestibular Stimulation
Subthreshold stochastic electrical vestibular stimulation delivered with a dual-channel isolated constant-current stimulator (Neursantys Inc.). Four-electrode mastoid-C4 montage; wideband stochastic current (0.001-300 Hz), ±0.35 mA (0.70 mA peak-to-peak), output sampled at 5 kHz. Two 20-minute seated stimulation blocks per session. Generates vestibular afferent activation while remaining below perceptual thresholds.
Electrical Vestibular Stimulation Sham
Identical electrode placement and device setup as active electrical vestibular stimulation. Device ramps briefly, then delivers zero current for the remainder of the two 20-minute blocks. Device lights remain active to maintain masking; no vestibular stimulation is delivered after the ramp.
Locations (1)
Human Performance Laboratory, University of Calgary
Calgary, Alberta, Canada