PTSD Trial, Recruiting
Who may be able to join
AI generated eligibility summary. Written by an AI model from the official source data and checked on a sample basis. It can contain mistakes, so confirm anything important against the original source. How we use AI
Who might be able to join this trial:
- People whose symptoms started at least 3 months ago but less than 10 years ago
- People whose whiplash injury has been classified as Grade I (neck pain only), Grade II (neck pain with reduced movement or tenderness), or Grade III (neck pain with signs of nerve involvement found during a physical examination)
- People whose average neck pain over the past week has been rated at least 4 out of 10
- People whose score on a neck disability questionnaire (the Neck Disability Index) is above 28%, which works out to more than 14 out of 50 points
Who may not be able to join:
- People with a Grade IV whiplash injury, which involves fracture or dislocation of the spine
- People currently experiencing concussion symptoms
- People who have previously had a surgical procedure to cut the vagus nerve in the neck
- People who have been diagnosed with a severely slow heart rate (severe bradycardia)
- People who have a permanent metal or electronic device, or jewellery, located close to the front of the ear (the ear tragus)
- People who have any active implanted device (such as a cochlear implant, brain shunt, or internal vagus nerve stimulator) or a non-active implant that could interact with the nervous system (such as metal implants)
- People who have open wounds, rashes, swelling, redness, infection, or skin irritation, or any cancerous lesions, in the area where stimulation would be applied
- People who are currently taking medications that affect the autonomic nervous system, such as beta blockers
- People with certain other health conditions, including a neurological disorder (such as multiple sclerosis), an inflammatory condition (such as rheumatoid arthritis), a serious heart condition or heart attack within the last 5 years, a metabolic condition (such as diabetes), significant vision problems (such as cataracts or double vision), known or suspected serious spinal disease (such as cancer affecting the spine), pregnancy, or a history of spinal surgery or repeated treatment for spinal problems
- People who had a diagnosed mental health condition — such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety, PTSD, or severe depression — before the motor vehicle accident that caused their whiplash
- People who are unable to complete the study questionnaires
Important: Always verify eligibility with the trial site directly before applying.
Based on publicly available eligibility criteria from ClinicalTrials.gov. Verify directly with the trial site before acting. This is not medical advice.
Contact this trial
Principal Investigator: Ashley Smith, University of Calgary
Phone: 403-265-3838
Contact details sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. Verify directly with the trial site before attending.
GP referral letter
Print a one-page summary to share with your doctor.
Trial details
Where this trial is recruiting
Primary endpoints
Number of participants with treatment-related adverse events (AEs); recruitment rate; attendance rate; retention rate.
Can't join this trial?
Data last synced from ClinicalTrials.gov: 14 July 2026. Trial status can change. Always verify current status directly with the trial site before making any decision.