Revealed: the tiny ear zapper that could help stroke patients regain use of their arms

Phil Herbert was working on his computer at home in November 2021 when his right arm suddenly became unresponsive.

“I tried to close a window on the computer but couldn’t get my right arm to operate the mouse,” recalls Phil, 56, an architect from Loughborough.

Worried, and with his speech also becoming slurred, Phil called 911 but was told it would be four hours before an ambulance could arrive.

So he called his son, who in turn contacted Phil’s ex-wife, who rushed him to the hospital. Tests confirmed he had suffered a stroke.

“I became paralyzed on my right side and lost most of my ability to speak,” says Phil.

After months of rehabilitation, Phil recovered much of his speech and was able to walk with a cane, but was still unable to move his right arm.

More than three years later, he now hopes to regain strength thanks to a new device – which clips to his ear – which is currently being trialled to restore movement and mobility to patients’ arms after a stroke.

The £2.5 million trial, led by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, involves stimulating a nerve in the ear with mild electrical pulses generated by a device that can be placed in a pocket.

Phil Herbert’s right arm suddenly stopped working and in November 2021 his speech became slurred

Since the stroke, Phil has experienced debilitating weakness in his arm, which had no apparent cause

Since the stroke, Phil has experienced debilitating weakness in his arm, which had no apparent cause

After regaining his speech, he now hopes to regain strength thanks to this new gadget

After regaining his speech, he now hopes to regain strength thanks to this new gadget

The device’s cables connect to a small earpiece that sends a gentle current to the nerve in the ear.

Results from previous studies suggest that stimulating the nerve while the patient tries to move the affected arm can restore electrical signals and in turn reduce arm weakness.

The device is thought to improve the transmission of nerve signals from the brain to the arm, telling it when and how to move.

For the trial, patients use the ‘ear tickler’ for one hour a day, five days a week, for twelve weeks, and have to move the arm while the nerve is stimulated. The study, which started in November 2023, involves approximately 240 patients.

Doctors leading the clinical trial describe it as ‘very exciting’ and predict it could change the lives of thousands of stroke patients.

More than 100,000 people in Britain suffer a stroke every year and around a third are left with permanent arm weakness.

Nearly 80 percent of strokes are ischemic, meaning a blood clot blocks blood flow to the brain and causes damage. The rest are hemorrhagic strokes, in which a weakened blood vessel ruptures and bleeds into the brain. The new device is intended for ischemic strokes.

Arshad Majid, professor of neurology at the University of Sheffield, who is leading the trial, said: ‘Arm weakness after a stroke affects all aspects of life and is a significant problem for those who survive a stroke.’

The £2.5m trial involves a nerve in the ear with mild electrical pulses generated by a device that can be placed in a pocket

The £2.5m trial involves a nerve in the ear with mild electrical pulses generated by a device that can be placed in a pocket

Current treatment includes intensive physiotherapy, but has a limited effect. The idea behind the new trial is that the electrical impulses stimulate a branch of the vagus nerve – the largest nerve in the body, which runs from the brain to the abdomen and is involved in controlling a range of functions, from swallowing to heart rate and digestion.

Vagus nerve stimulation is already used to treat seizures, usually via a stimulator placed just below the collarbone and connected to the brain. The success in reducing seizures prompted doctors to investigate whether the same therapy could help restore movement and strength after a seizure. a stroke.

The decision to set up the new trial in Britain followed a study showing that vagus nerve stimulation worked well using an implanted pulse generator. The device, given to 120 patients from the US, Canada and Britain, was activated by waving a wand across the chest. .

Doctors are now looking at whether they can achieve the same result without having to surgically insert equipment. Professor Majid said with the ear zapper, a patient only feels a mild tingling sensation.

“The main advantage is that, unlike the previous trial, it is a non-invasive treatment,” he said.

‘The patient does not have to go to the hospital and can do the therapy at home. They are given exercises and we check them every two weeks via video call.’

Chris Price, professor of stroke research at Newcastle University, who is not involved in the current trial, said: ‘The clever thing about this research is that it stimulates a branch of the vagus nerve that goes to the ear.

‘If it produces good results, it will be an interesting and exciting development for rehabilitation after a stroke.

‘It’s not about bringing a paralyzed arm back to life; they are people who have had some recovery and have gotten even better. Using a small piece of technology that is easy to wear and helps patients show improvement is something we don’t have right now.”

The idea behind the new test is that the electrical impulses stimulate a branch of the vagus nerve – the largest nerve in the body (file photo)

The idea behind the new test is that the electrical impulses stimulate a branch of the vagus nerve – the largest nerve in the body (file photo)

Phil saw details of the ear stimulator trial on social media and contacted the researchers.

Since the stroke, he has experienced debilitating weakness in his arm, with no apparent cause.

Initially, his daughter Isobel, now 22, took care of him.

“After six months I could walk without a cane and with a pronounced limp, and my speech had improved significantly,” he says. “I could get dressed and shower, but I couldn’t use my right arm much.”

He started the 12-week trial in January 2024 and has now returned to work full-time.

He also started playing badminton six months ago and can now raise his right arm above his head.

“I have more exercise, which means I can open and close kitchen cupboards,” he says. “I still can’t use my fingers, so I can’t hold a pen or type with my right hand, but I hope to be able to use my fingers more, that’s my goal.”