A wrist device for people with Tourette’s syndrome has been described as “life-changing”.
The Neupulse aims to reduce the symptoms by delivering electrical stimulation directly into nerves in the wrist.
Singer Lewis Capaldi was among the 121 people who trialled the device, developed at the University of Nottingham, after recently sharing his own Tourette’s diagnosis.
Researchers said it helped Capaldi “feel calmer and the device clearly suppressed the head and shoulder tics which can be quite painful for him”.
The team said 59% of those who used it saw a reduction in the frequency and severity of their tics after wearing it for just 10 minutes a day for a month.
The results, which have not been peer-reviewed, state there was a “clinically meaningful reduction in tic severity” in the vast majority of those who took part.
Speaking to the BBC, 13-year-old Milo said when using the device: “I would not tic… nowhere near as much.
“Sometimes it’s quite severe, especially if I’m tired, but if I’ve got the device on then really it’s so much better. It’s so helpful.”
Charity Tourettes Action called the device “life changing”.
Tourette’s syndrome causes people to make involuntary sounds and movements, known as tics, and often starts during childhood.
It can become more severe with stress and anxiety.
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There is no known cure for the condition, which more than 300,000 people in the UK suffer from, and it can sometimes be painful.
Tics include shoulder shrugging, jerking, blinking. or making noises such as coughing, random words and whistling.
Swearing is often associated with Tourette’s but is a rare symptom.
Neupulse is now seeking regulatory approval for use in the UK and hopes to have the device available in the next few years.
