Flux Health Forum

Facial nerve damage from electrical stimulation

Injury Recovery
#1

For nine months I was using a vagus nerve stimulator with electrodes that clipped to my left tragus. Suddenly it started causing nerve pain in my face along my cheekbone. I stopped using the device and at first the nerve seemed to calm down, but now a couple weeks later the pain seems to steadily be getting worse, more frequent, and possibly spreading up the side of my face. The nerve is connected to my nose and today even breathing and moving my head has been hurting at times.

I’ve started using my M1 with the coils side by side over the location of pain and part of my ear where the electrical signal originated. I’ve seen the recommendation elsewhere about treating nerve problems upstream, should I try that for this injury? Or maybe coils stacked over the ear? Also, any advice for securing the coils that doesn’t involve taping them to the skin over the nerve (because that seemed to aggravate it)?

Does anyone have any other recommendations, even beyond PEMF, for this type of injury?

#2

Hyperbaric oxygen treatment would probably help.

#3

@jvaughan - can I ask what device you were using that caused this nerve issue?

#4

@Kayrem Yeah, I was using the tVNS stimulator from vagus.net. It’s a fantastic device, aside from this issue I had. I have come to think now that I was doing something wrong, like not cleaning my skin sufficiently before each use. So if you’re thinking about getting it, I wouldn’t be too worried about this happening to you.

#5

I will be honest. I am not too sure of that one. There does not seem to be any information available to enable me as a consumer to see if it is appropriate for tVNS.
I had actually purchased a TENS 7000 for tVNS and had a nerve problem also at the back of my ear going down into my neck so I backed off of it.
I joined a group (AVA - A Vagus Adventure) and found out it was way to strong (each step up in Milliamps) and not recommended for tVNS by that group. I have just purchased an Intensity Twin Combo Select, which I can increase by 1 ma verus the 8 or 9 that I was having to do with the Tens 7000.

#6

Thanks for replying!