CLIPS that 'tickle' nerves in the ears could reduce the pain of endometriosis. One in 10 women of reproductive age has the condition, which causes heavy and agonising periods — it is the most common complaint treated by gynaecologists.
Endometriosis develops when the tissue that normally forms the lining of the womb starts to grow elsewhere, such as in the ovaries, bowel, bladder — in some cases even on the spine, lungs or brain.
This tissue behaves like womb tissue, swelling and bleeding with menstruation. But because this blood has no way of leaving the body, this triggers inflammation, pain and scar tissue.
The cause is unclear but the condition tends to run in families, suggesting a genetic link.
Poor awareness of the condition means it takes on average 7.5 years for women to receive a diagnosis, according to the charity Endometriosis UK.
Mild to moderate endometriosis can be treated with anti-inflammatory painkillers, such as ibuprofen, as well as contraceptives to suppress the release of oestrogen, which can promote tissue growth.
In more severe cases, women may be offered surgery to remove the tissue — this is effective in about a quarter of cases but, in 50 per cent, the symptoms recur within five years of the operation.
The 'ear tickling' approach offers an alternative — and scientists hope it will control women's pain and potentially help them avoid the need for surgery.
The gadget works by transmitting a mild electric current through the skin via ear clips — these are worn on both of the ears and are connected to a small power pack.
The current is used to stimulate a branch of the vagus nerve, a major nerve that runs through the chest and into the brain, and which is involved in controlling a wide range of functions, from swallowing to managing heart rate and digestion.
Stimulating this nerve is thought both to interrupt pain signals to the brain and dampen down the inflammation that occurs in endometriosis.
Animal studies have already shown that stimulating the vagus nerve can ease the pain of endometriosis. Tests on mice revealed lower pain scores and a reduction in the size of abnormal tissue growth through reducing inflammation.
Now a trial is under way at Foch Hospital in Suresnes, France, involving 72 women to see whether regularly 'tickling' the ears for 30 minutes twice a day for three months reduces their pain and stops their condition worsening.
Vagus nerve stimulation is already used for a number of other conditions. It's an effective treatment for epilepsy and depression, and has also shown promise in easing cluster headaches (a very severe type of headache) and the pain of osteoarthritis.
It usually involves surgery to implant a battery-powered generator beneath the collarbone.
The new ear clips and power pack could prove to be a safer alternative, because they attach to the shell-like cavity in the middle of the ear, where a branch of the nerve runs just beneath the skin.
Jim Deuchars, a professor of neuroscience at Leeds University, who has been studying vagus nerve stimulation, said: "Pilot studies suggest this treatment has promise in endometriosis.
"And since it is non-invasive, relatively cheap and not painful, it would be judged to be a success if it helps at least some of the patients."
© Solo dmg media
