Auricular Vagal Neuromodulation Therapy (AVNT) improves Long COVID symptoms - Single Group Assignment

Abstract

The study assessed the effectiveness of Nurosym Auricular Vagal Neuromodulation Therapy (AVNT) in alleviating long-term COVID-19 symptoms. Patients with persistent symptoms underwent Nurosym stimulation for 10 consecutive days, with assessments before, during, and after the treatment. Results showed a significant reduction in symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, pain, and gastrointestinal issues, with a 61% overall improvement (p<0.05) and a 7% increase in muscle strength. The therapy effectively modulates the inflammatory response and autonomic nervous function, demonstrating promise as a treatment for long COVID syndrome.

Background and aims

The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Nurosym AVNT in relieving symptoms of long-term COVID-19 syndrome. The persistent presence of symptoms following an acute viral infection, lasting for months and sometimes years, indicates the occurrence of a post-viral syndrome. It is noteworthy that viral interferons can persist in the organism for an extended period, leading to chronic inflammation, dysautonomia, and disruption of the autonomic nervous system, including a reduction in neurotransmitter production. It has been shown that Nurosym can activate neural pathways by engaging the vagus nerve, which regulates the function of numerous organs. Activation of the vagus nerve can address symptoms of dysautonomia and long COVID such as brain fog, gastrointestinal, pain, fatigue and depression, that are not effectively treated with traditional methods.

Methods

Patients had confirmed Covid-19 infection lasting at least 12 weeks and persistent symptoms during this period. The patients did not have any serious health problems before infection. Patients underwent Nurosym stimulation for 10 consecutive days, with sessions lasting 35 minutes each. Clinical assessments were conducted before the first stimulation (day 0), after 5 sessions (day 5), and after 10 sessions (day 10), followed by a 7-day post-stimulation assessment. Physiological parameters (grip strength, blood oxygen saturation) and biological parameters (levels of 16 inflammatory cytokines, serum ferritin, CRP, and complete blood count) were measured.

Results

The study results provide evidence that Nurosym activates the vagus nerve, leading to the inhibition of both central (brain) and peripheral (body) inflammation. Therefore, the observed reduction in inflammation may explain the observed reduction in long-term COVID symptom severity such as fatigue, brain fog, pain and gastrointestinal problems. The treatment was effective for all symptoms, even if some of them remain longer than others: especially, abdominal pain and diarrhea were commonly the last to improve.

61% improvement in Long Covid symptoms (p<0.05), as per a questionnaire assessing pain, gastrointestinal issues, and brain fog while muscle strength increased by about 7% (compared to median baseline vs. median 3rd visit).

Conclusion

Chronic inflammation is known to contribute to the onset and severity of symptoms such as fatigue, pain, and gastrointestinal problems. By modulating the inflammatory response, the Nurosym device effectively regulates the activity of autonomic nervous function and the immune system. At present, there are no approved therapeutic interventions tailored specifically for addressing the long-term effects of Covid-19. Nonetheless, Nurosym has demonstrated promising efficacy in alleviating symptoms associated with long COVID syndrome.