Vagus Nerve Stimulation Offers New Hope for Chronic Pain Relief

Implanted device activates the body's inflammatory reflex to reduce pain and inflammation

Mar. 18, 2026 at 4:27pm

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A new clinical trial using vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has shown promising results in treating chronic pain conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. The procedure involves surgically implanting a small, pulse-generating device under the skin on the neck that sends electrical pulses through the vagus nerve to the brain, activating the body's inflammatory reflex and reducing inflammation. Participants like Dawn Steiner have reported significant pain reduction, with some experiencing a pain level of just 1 out of 10 on most days after the treatment.

Why it matters

Chronic pain affects millions of people worldwide, and current treatment options often come with significant side effects or limited effectiveness. VNS offers a new, non-pharmaceutical approach that targets the root cause of inflammation, potentially providing relief for a wide range of conditions beyond just rheumatoid arthritis.

The details

The VNS device is about the size of a jelly bean and is implanted under the skin on the left side of the neck. It wraps around the vagus nerve and delivers a one-minute electrical pulse each day, which travels to the brain and activates the body's inflammatory reflex to reduce inflammation. While the device can't undo existing damage, it can prevent future damage and significantly reduce pain levels. Participants in the clinical trial, like Dawn Steiner, have reported going from daily pain levels of 7 out of 10 down to just 1 out of 10 after using the VNS device.

  • Dawn Steiner had suffered from rheumatoid arthritis for 13 years prior to the clinical trial.
  • Steiner received the VNS device implant and began using it in 2023.
  • Within a week of using the VNS device, Steiner felt some relief, and over the next few weeks her pain subsided considerably.
  • Two and a half years after receiving the VNS device, Steiner experiences a pain level of 1 on most days.

The players

Dawn Steiner

A 59-year-old speech pathologist from Massapequa, New York who participated in the clinical trial for vagus nerve stimulation to treat her rheumatoid arthritis.

Dr. Kevin J. Tracey

A neurosurgeon, president and CEO of Northwell Health's Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, and author of The Great Nerve: The New Science of the Vagus Nerve and How to Harness Its Healing Reflexes.

Tracy Centanni

The director of the Genetics of Auditory and Visual Perception and Plasticity Lab at the University of Florida.

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What they’re saying

“The device activates what we call the inflammatory reflex, which signals the vagus nerve to slow down inflammation.”

— Dr. Kevin J. Tracey, Neurosurgeon, President and CEO of Northwell Health's Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research

“We will see VNS explode on the scene in the next five years. It's an exciting time.”

— Tracy Centanni, Director of the Genetics of Auditory and Visual Perception and Plasticity Lab at the University of Florida

What’s next

The FDA recently approved the first vagus nerve device for treating rheumatoid arthritis, paving the way for more widespread use of VNS to treat a range of inflammatory conditions.

The takeaway

Vagus nerve stimulation offers a promising new non-pharmaceutical approach to treating chronic pain and inflammation, potentially providing relief for millions of people suffering from conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and fibromyalgia.