Could lowering high blood pressure be as simple as stimulating your ear?
A clinical trial led by Queen Mary University of London tested a non-invasive device that uses electrical stimulation on the ear to treat high blood pressure. While the device did not show significant results for all participants, it showed promise for patients with severe, treatment-resistant hypertension.
Why it matters
This technology offers a potential non-pharmacological alternative for managing chronic hypertension, which affects millions globally.
A small device that delivers gentle electrical pulses through the ear could offer a new approach to treating stubborn high blood pressure. In a clinical trial led by researchers at Queen Mary University of London, the technology proved safe, well tolerated, and practical for patients to use at home.
Although the treatment did not significantly lower blood pressure compared with a placebo device across all participants, researchers observed encouraging results in patients with more severe hypertension. The findings suggest that stimulating nerves in the ear could eventually help certain people whose blood pressure remains elevated despite taking medication.
The results come from the SCRATCH-HTN trial, published in Hypertension , a journal of the American Heart Association. Researchers emphasize that larger studies are needed to determine whether the approach can provide meaningful benefits and which patients might respond best.
How Ear Nerve Stimulation Could Lower Blood Pressure
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