Not yet recruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

Exploring Mild Electrical Vestibular Stimulation as a New Treatment for Dizziness and Migraine Symptoms

This study is looking into a new treatment called electrical vestibular stimulation (EVS) for people who experience dizziness and headaches due to vestibular migraine. Many people don't find enough relief from current medicines for this condition, which can affect their daily lives. EVS involves delivering mild electrical signals behind the ears to gently activate parts of the brain linked to balance. Fifty adults with vestibular migraine will take part. Half will receive the real EVS treatment, and the other half will get a dummy (sham) treatment. Each person will have six sessions over two weeks and will keep a diary of their symptoms. The main goal is to check if EVS is safe and comfortable, and if participants can complete the study sessions as planned. This information will help design bigger studies to develop accessible new treatments.

At a glance

Status

Not yet recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

University of Calgary

Enrolment target

Start

01 Feb 2026

Estimated completion

31 Dec 2029

Vestibular Migraine

What is this study about?

If you experience repeated dizziness, problems with balance, and headaches, you might have something called vestibular migraine. This condition affects many people and can make daily activities challenging, especially when current medications don't fully help. Researchers are always looking for new and better ways to manage these symptoms and improve quality of life. This study focuses on a new idea for treatment.

The study is exploring something called electrical vestibular stimulation (EVS). This isn't a medicine; instead, it uses very gentle electrical signals. These signals are delivered through small patches placed behind your ears. The idea is that these gentle electrical pulses might help to calm or change how the parts of your brain that control balance and dizziness are working. It's a bit like giving your brain a very soft, targeted 'nudge'.

The main aim of this first study is to see if this EVS treatment is safe and comfortable for people with vestibular migraine to use. The researchers also want to find out if people can easily complete the treatment sessions and the simple tests involved. While it's not the main goal, they will also be looking closely to see if people's dizziness or balance improves over the study period. All this information is crucial for planning larger studies in the future, with the ultimate goal of developing effective and easy-to-access new treatments for dizziness and migraine.

Key takeaways

It's a study exploring a new, non-drug treatment for dizziness and migraine.
The treatment involves gentle electrical signals behind the ears.
The main aims are to test safety, comfort, and feasibility.
You might receive real or dummy treatment, decided by chance.
Participation involves six sessions over two weeks, plus symptom diaries and balance tests.
All information gathered will help design future research for new treatments.

Who may be eligible?

This study is looking for around 50 adults who have been diagnosed with vestibular migraine by a doctor. To be considered, you should have experienced at least one episode of vestibular migraine in the last month and be able to stand on your own for at least a minute and walk a short distance without help.

There are some reasons why you might not be able to take part. For example, if you have other balance problems, a history of seizures, or any electronic medical devices implanted in your body like a pacemaker. Also, if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant during the study, or if you have other serious medical or mental health conditions, this study might not be suitable for you. If you take certain medications for dizziness or migraine, you'd need to be able to keep your dose stable or pause them during a specific two-week period. New medications or dose changes during this key time might also mean you couldn't be included in the final results.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Have I been diagnosed with vestibular migraine?
Have I had at least one vestibular migraine episode in the last month?
Can I stand on my own for at least a minute and walk a short distance unassisted?
Do I have any implanted electronic medical devices (like a pacemaker) that might prevent me from joining?
Am I pregnant or planning to be during the study?
Can I keep my current migraine/dizziness medication stable or pause it for two weeks if needed for the study?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part, you'll be assigned by chance to either receive the real electrical stimulation or a dummy (sham) treatment – so neither you nor the researchers will know which you are getting. You will attend six treatment sessions over a period of two weeks. Around these sessions, you will keep a daily diary to record your dizziness and migraine symptoms. You'll also complete some questionnaires and have your balance tested using special motion sensors. The total time you'll spend participating in the study, including all visits and recordings, will be spread out over several weeks.

Potential risks and benefits

This study offers the potential benefit of trying a new, non-drug treatment for your vestibular migraine symptoms, which might lead to improvements in your dizziness and balance. However, as with any study, there are some potential risks, though the electrical stimulation is designed to be gentle and safe. You might experience mild skin irritation where the patches are placed. You are free to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without it affecting your usual medical care. Participation is entirely voluntary.

Locations (1)

Human Performance Laboratory, University of Calgary
Verified postcode
Calgary, Canada

Common questions

What is vestibular migraine?

It's a type of migraine that causes dizziness, balance problems, and headaches. It can make everyday activities difficult for those who have it.

What is 'electrical vestibular stimulation' (EVS)?

EVS is a new approach that uses very mild electrical signals, delivered through patches behind your ears, to gently influence the parts of your brain related to balance.

Will I know if I'm getting the real treatment or a dummy one?

No, you won't know, and neither will the study team. This is a common practice in research to make sure the results are fair.

How long will I need to be involved in the study?

You'll have six treatment sessions over two weeks, plus some assessments and keeping a diary, spread out over a slightly longer period.

What will the study hope to find out?

Its main goal is to see if this new electrical treatment is safe and comfortable, and to gather early information on whether it might help symptoms, which will guide future, larger studies.

How to find out more

Ryan Peters, Ph.D.

ryan.peters1@ucalgary.ca 403-220-7810 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.