I tried a £600 earphone to rewire my nervous system

Diagnoses of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) tend to be made after a doctor has ruled out more sinister conditions, like celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease. Characterized by stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhea and/or constipation, it’s a condition the NHS describes as “frustrating” for one in five adults in the UK who suffer from it – and as that one of them, I have to agree.

I’ve complained of stomach problems my whole life, and while I don’t remember exactly when the IBS diagnosis came, I know it was made without much support. Indeed, the most frustrating part of this disease is that there is no cure or support to improve the symptoms.

I’ve tried just about everything to combat my IBS, from medications to restrictive diets, with limited or even worse results. Definitely the most helpful thing I found was trying to reduce my food-related stress levels (research shows that worrying about flare-ups can cause a disordered relationship with food, making it worse symptoms of IBS). Reducing overall stress is also associated with better digestion – but it’s a lot less straightforward. Yes, I do yoga, meditation, and exercise regularly, but sometimes work, relationships, or life get in the way — and my stomach is the messenger.

My ears don’t immediately seem like the answer to dealing with stress. Still, auditory stimulation is key with Nurosym, a £599 device that fits in your ear and claims to rewire your nervous system by delivering small, targeted electrical impulses to the brain via the vagus nerve.

In my research into IBS (which has been extensive), I have learned a lot about the vagus nerve. One of 12 cranial nerves, it performs both sensory and motor functions and is the main nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system.

“The parasympathetic nervous system governs bodily functions such as salivation, enzyme secretion, gut motility, nutrient absorption and inflammation and is involved in the gut-brain axis,” explains Dr. Charlotte Lee -Sinclair, doctor and head of strategy and operations at Parasym. , the brand behind Nurosym. The goal of Nurosym is to activate the vagus nerve, thereby putting the body into a “rest and digest” state.

It turns out that the ear is home to the endings of the vagus nerve – Nurosym clips onto the tragus, the small flap of cartilage in front of your ear canal, and was developed to specifically target a branch of the vagus nerve that projects toward the ear canal. brain.

The device has attracted attention by claiming it can treat chronic fatigue, anxiety, depression and sleep problems, improve memory and cognition – and relieve irritable bowel syndrome.

Could this also work for my tummy issues?

Nurosym consists of a small clip that you pin on your tragus and is connected to a small palm-length device. At first I had trouble keeping the device in place and spent a lot of time struggling to get it to fit in my ear – without relaxing. Once finally cut off, it was time to activate the stimulation.

It’s a delicate balance: too low and you won’t feel any sensation, too high and it can be quite painful (as you’d expect from an electric current). The sweet spot is a small vibration, which almost feels like a pin scratching my ear. This sounds incredibly unsoothing, but within minutes of plugging in, I found myself in an almost dreamlike trance of relaxation. It’s the effect I usually get after a slow, hour-long yoga class or an expensive massage, but it’s delivered in no time — and while I’m typing on my laptop.

Over the next few weeks, I’m trying to use the device for at least 30 minutes a day, ideally in the morning when I sit down at my desk to start working. Each time, I fall into the same slow, calming state. Luckily it’s not so relaxing that I can’t work, but if I was lying down I can’t guarantee I wouldn’t close my eyes and sit up. Clearly Nurosym is doing something for my mind, but I’m not sure what the effect is on my gut – until one morning when a flare-up occurs. I feel almost irritating waves of irritation in my gut and I resign myself to going to the bathroom for the morning. This seems random, given that I followed my usual routine, without irritants, the day before.

I plug in the device, I feel the state of calm come over me, then I continue with my day. It was only later that I realized that the stomach problems had not persisted after that first painful episode. An IBS attack doesn’t always last all day, but usually a flare-up follows me everywhere, making me anxious and uncomfortable. Nurosym seemed to have calmed my stomach.

Research shows that Nurosym can work short-term in this way, with a clinical trial of Parasym, published in PLOSOne, suggesting that one hour of use of the device increases parasympathetic nervous system activity by 61 percent, calming the body and mind to a fairly extreme extent. .

Much other research also shows that vagus nerve stimulation can also cause immediate relaxation and gut effects: in a 2023 paper, participants were given a meal then had their hands repeatedly dipped in ice water to stress. This reduced vagal activity and stomach function; However, a group of participants who wore an electronic hearing device to stimulate their vagus nerve throughout the cold plunge saw improved levels of stomach “slow waves” (activity that controls the amount and spread of contractions) and a reduction in symptoms of fullness, nausea and pain. .

It’s not a single vibration, however, warns health psychologist Dr. Sula Windgassen. “The relationship between the autonomic nervous system and the gut is complex. There is no hard and fast rule for every person, as your digestive processes vary depending on many different factors, including lifestyle, activity, stress levels, diet, and even ability to manage your emotions.

“Some people with diarrhea-predominant IBS may have a gut that moves very quickly and practices focused on activating the parasympathetic nervous system will interact with this differently than for someone with constipation. For those who have rapid bowel movements, parasympathetic practices might even increase the urgency and need to go to the bathroom. That being said, this does not mean that people with IBS-D should strive to not stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system. Most importantly, we must aim for flexibility of autonomic nervous system states, with equal access to sympathetic and parasympathetic activation.

She’s also quick to remind me that just a quick stimulation won’t fix everything: for that, you need long-term relaxation and stress relief. A study by Texas researchers found that a year of vagus nerve stimulation therapy improved the mental, physical, social and emotional health of people with depression, with most individuals retaining to a large extent or, in some cases, cases, obtaining additional clinical benefit over time with a longer lifespan. VNS treatment at term.

Nurosym recommends using the device for three months to feel the full effects of having your vagus nerve fully functioning. I’ve been using the device for a few weeks, and while I can’t claim to feel less stressed overall, I love being able to transition into a state of relaxation and, potentially, IBS control.

Luckily, you don’t need a three-digit device to stimulate your vagus nerve. Five minutes of deep, slow breathing – inhaling for four seconds and exhaling for six seconds – has been shown to engage the vagus nerve sufficiently to reduce anxiety. Some people also believe that you can forgo electrical currents and simply stimulate the vagus nerve by massaging your ear.

Dr. Windgassen has even simpler suggestions. “Spending time in nature, taking a cathartic walk, and singing along to music you love are all natural parasympathetic activators that fit right into your life.” Parasympathetic activation can usually be achieved when you are present, comfortable, and/or feeling joy or pleasure,” she says.

However you do it, taking time to calm down might be the best thing you can do for your mind – and your instincts. Who knew?