Stimulation of the Larynx to Treat Unexplained Chronic Cough

Vibrotactile Stimulation of the Larynx to Treat Unexplained Chronic Cough

Status

Recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT05273190

Enrollment

Registered

2022-03-10

Start date

2021-07-13

Completion date

2027-06-30

Last updated

2026-06-15

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Cough

Keywords

Chronic cough

Brief summary

Researchers will test the effect of non-invasive vibrotactile stimulation of the larynx on symptom severity of unexplained chronic cough.

Interventions

DEVICEVibrotactile Stimulation

Small electric motors, similar to a vibrating cell phone or gaming joystick, deliver vibration to the throat. Participants will assess cough symptoms throughout the study period.

Study design

Allocation

Intervention model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

18 Years to 88 Years

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

* Adults aged 18-88 * \>8 weeks of cough * Cough visual analogue scale (VAS): Rating of 30 or greater on a 0-100 cough severity scale * Ability to provide informed consent and independently complete questionnaires * Ability to read and speak English

Exclusion criteria

* Electronic implants (e.g., pacemaker) * Currently doing speech therapy for cough * Contraindications to safe or effective VTS device use * No regular access to wifi internet Neuromuscular impairment that may affect cough/laryngeal sensation and/or function (e.g., multiple system atrophy, Parkinson, CVA, vocal fold paralysis or paresis) * Untreated carotid disease * BMI \> 40 (for transmission of VTS through soft tissue) * Current or recent (quit \< 3 months ago) smoking * Known currently infectious cause for cough (e.g., TB, pertussis, COVID) * History of known or suspected aspiration pneumonia * Diagnosis or clinical suspicion of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) * Diagnosis or clinical suspicion of interstitial lung disease (ILD) * Unmanaged reflux * Unmanaged allergies/postnasal drip

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Assess usability of VTS device	3-7 weeks	% of participants indicating agree or strongly agree with statements of usability
Impact of VTS on cough symptoms	3-7 weeks	Pre-post comparison of LCQ scores

Countries

United States

Contacts

CONTACTClinical Research Coordinators Ashley Ramaker, MS or colleagues

coughstudy@umn.edu612-625-3278

CONTACTAli Stockness

nicho656@umn.edu

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORStephanie Misono

University of Minnesota

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Jun 16, 2026