One of the most common questions we get from curious (and skeptical) customers is:
"How can you guarantee your device actually hits the vagus nerve?"
Here’s the honest, science-backed answer — and it depends entirely on which part of the vagus nerve you’re trying to stimulate.
🎯 Auricular Branch (Ear) – The Most Reliable Target
When it comes to auricular vagus nerve stimulation (aVNS) — the method used in all Hoolest devices — we’re working with anatomy that’s extremely predictable.
The auricular branch of the vagus nerve (ABVN) runs just beneath the surface of the skin in a specific part of the ear, mainly the concha, tragus, and tympanomastoid fissure just below the ear. Unlike deeper nerves in the body, the ABVN is easy to access, and every person has it in the same small zone.
That’s why when you use a device like VeRelief Prime or Hoolest Pro, there’s a near 100% guarantee that you’ll be activating the vagus nerve — as long as the electrodes are properly placed around the ear.
🧠 Research supports this. A 2018 review published in Brain Stimulation stated that ABVN is the only peripheral branch of the vagus nerve with skin-level access, making it the most accessible and noninvasive point of entry for VNS (Badran et al., 2018).
🧍♂️ Cervical Branch (Neck) – Harder to Reach, Lower Guarantee
Now let’s talk about the cervical branch of the vagus nerve — the target of many neck-worn VNS devices.
This nerve lies deeper in the neck, below skin, fat, and muscle. And that makes it much harder to reliably stimulate without precise placement, adequate pressure, and the right waveform.
That’s why wearables often miss the mark. Unless you’re applying it perfectly (which most people don’t), there's no guarantee you’re hitting the nerve, let alone stimulating it effectively. Studies have shown that cervical VNS has more anatomical variability and often requires image guidance or trial-and-error to confirm accurate nerve engagement (Hammer et al., 2015).
🤲 Why We Recommend Handheld Over Wearables for Neck Stimulation
If you're trying to stimulate the cervical vagus nerve, handheld devices give you a huge advantage. They let you manually place the stimulator, feel the tingling response, and adjust the angle until you get a proper response. This makes it far more accurate than fixed-position wearables, which just strap on and hope for the best.
But even then, auricular stimulation is still our top choice — because it's fast, reliable, and proven to work across nearly all individuals.
✅ Bottom Line: Accuracy Comes Down to Anatomy
| Method | Target | Accuracy | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auricular VNS | Ear (ABVN) | ✅ Near 100% | Nerve is superficial, consistent, and easy to reach |
| Cervical VNS - Handheld | Side of neck | ⚠️ Medium | Better placement control, but still requires trial and error |
| Cervical VNS - Wearable | Side of neck | ❌ Low | Deep nerve, anatomical variability, less user control |
🙌 Final Thought
You don’t need a medical degree to activate your vagus nerve — you just need a device that’s grounded in science and designed around real anatomy. That’s exactly what we built Hoolest products to do.
If you want guaranteed nerve activation, stick with auricular VNS. If you’re determined to try neck stimulation, go handheld, not wearable. And if you’re ever unsure, we’re here to help you get it placed correctly — just reach out.
Got more questions? Let us know. We geek out on this stuff.