Condition · Evidence Hub
Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Migraine
Does vagus nerve stimulation help with migraine? 30 human studies have investigated VNS for migraine, including 7 systematic reviews, 17 RCTs, and 3 controlled trials, published between 2014 and 2026, with 13 published since 2022. Studies use transcutaneous cervical (tcVNS), transcutaneous auricular (taVNS), and implanted (iVNS) stimulation. Findings vary by study design and population; the studies below are ranked by evidence strength so you can weigh the research directly.
7 systematic reviews · 17 RCTs · 3 controlled trials · 2 observational studies · 1 narrative review
Evidence by Tier
strongest → weakest
- 7Systematic reviews & meta-analyses
- 17Randomised controlled trials
- 3Controlled clinical trials
- 2Observational & cohort studies
- 1Narrative & scoping reviews
Stimulation Method
- 13tcVNS
- 9taVNS
- 8iVNS
Research Momentum
13 of 30 studies (43%) published since 2022 — an actively growing evidence base.
The studies
30 studies · strongest evidence firstEffectiveness of non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation vs heart rate variability biofeedback interventions for chronic pain conditions: A systematic review
Pellow et al. · Scandinavian journal of pain · 2025 · n = 813
systematic reviewsiVNSClinical Efficacy of Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation in the Treatment of Chronic and Acute Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Duff et al. · Pain and therapy · 2024 · n = 1,496
systematic reviewstcVNS[Clinical efficacy of auricular vagus nerve stimulation in the treatment of chronic and acute pain : A systematic review]
Likar et al. · Schmerz (Berlin, Germany) · 2024 · n = 1,105
systematic reviewstcVNSTranscutaneous vagus nerve stimulation effects on chronic pain: systematic review and meta-analysis
Costa et al. · Pain reports · 2024
systematic reviewstaVNSNoninvasive vagus nerve stimulation for migraine: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Song et al. · Frontiers in neurology · 2023
systematic reviewsiVNSAcute Treatments for Episodic Migraine in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
VanderPluym et al. · JAMA · 2021 · n = 803
systematic reviewstcVNSCervical Noninvasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Migraine and Cluster Headache: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Lai et al. · Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society · 2020 · n = 983
systematic reviewsiVNSEffects of adding transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation to vestibular rehabilitation on dizziness and postural control in vestibular migraine: a randomized clinical trial
Farahani et al. · Scientific reports · 2026
RCTstaVNSEvaluating brain mechanisms of combined vagus nerve stimulation and mindfulness training for migraine: A randomized 2 × 2 factorial clinical trial protocol
Schuman-Olivier et al. · Contemporary clinical trials · 2025
RCTstaVNSThe effects of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation in epilepsy comorbid with migraine on the EEG power spectrum: a randomized controlled trial
Ma et al. · Frontiers in neurology · 2025
RCTstaVNSTranscutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation for the treatment of myoarthropatic symptoms in patients with craniomandibular dysfunction - a protocol for a randomized and controlled pilot trial
Prott et al. · Pilot and feasibility studies · 2024
RCTstaVNSThe modulation effects of repeated transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation on the functional connectivity of key brainstem regions along the vagus nerve pathway in migraine patients
Huang et al. · Frontiers in molecular neuroscience · 2023 · n = 59
RCTstaVNSEvaluation of the Modulation Effects Evoked by Different Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Frequencies Along the Central Vagus Nerve Pathway in Migraine: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study
Sacca et al. · Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society · 2023
RCTstaVNSEffects of non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation on clinical symptoms and molecular biomarkers in Parkinson's disease
Mondal et al. · Frontiers in aging neuroscience · 2023
RCTsiVNSNon-invasive vagus nerve stimulation for prevention of migraine: The multicenter, randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled PREMIUM II trial
Najib et al. · Cephalalgia · 2022 · n = 336
RCTstcVNSTranscutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) for migraine: an fMRI study
Zhang et al. · Regional anesthesia and pain medicine · 2021 · n = 59
RCTstaVNSNon-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) for the preventive treatment of episodic migraine: The multicentre, double-blind, randomised, sham-controlled PREMIUM trial
Diener et al. · Cephalalgia · 2019 · n = 477
RCTstcVNSAcute vestibular migraine treatment with noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation
Beh et al. · Neurology · 2019
RCTsiVNSNoninvasive vagus nerve stimulation as acute therapy for migraine: the randomized PRESTO study
Tassorelli et al. · Neurology · 2018 · n = 248
RCTstcVNSConsistent effects of non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) for the acute treatment of migraine: additional findings from the randomized, sham-controlled, double-blind PRESTO trial
Martelletti et al. · The journal of headache and pain · 2018 · n = 243
RCTsiVNSTreatment Update of Chronic Migraine
Cho et al. · Current pain and headache reports · 2017
RCTstcVNSChronic migraine headache prevention with noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation: The EVENT study
Silberstein et al. · Neurology · 2016 · n = 59
RCTstcVNSNon-invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation (nVNS) as mini-prophylaxis for menstrual/menstrually related migraine: an open-label study
Grazzi et al. · The journal of headache and pain · 2016
RCTsiVNSTreatment of chronic migraine with transcutaneous stimulation of the auricular branch of the vagal nerve (auricular t-VNS): a randomized, monocentric clinical trial
Straube et al. · The Journal of Headache and Pain · 2015 · n = 46
RCTstaVNSNon-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) as symptomatic treatment of migraine in young patients: a preliminary safety study
Grazzi et al. · Neurological Sciences · 2017 · n = 9
controlled trialstcVNSNon-invasive vagus nerve stimulation for acute treatment of high-frequency and chronic migraine: an open-label study
Barbanti et al. · The Journal of Headache and Pain · 2015 · n = 50
controlled trialstcVNSEffect of noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation on acute migraine: an open-label pilot study
Goadsby et al. · Cephalalgia · 2014 · n = 30
controlled trialstcVNSNon-invasive vagus nerve stimulation for the management of refractory primary chronic headaches: A real-world experience
Trimboli et al. · Cephalalgia · 2018 · n = 41
observational studiestcVNSCervical non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) for preventive and acute treatment of episodic and chronic migraine and migraine-associated sleep disturbance: a prospective observational cohort study
Kinfe et al. · The Journal of Headache and Pain · 2015 · n = 20
observational studiestcVNSSpotlight on cervical vagus nerve stimulation for the treatment of primary headache disorders: a review
Lendvai et al. · Journal of pain research · 2018
narrative reviewsiVNS