Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation prevents the development of, and reverses, established oesophageal pain hypersensitivity.

Background: The vagus nerve exerts an anti-nociceptive effect on the viscera.

Aim: To investigate whether transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation (t-VNS) prevents the development of and/or reverses established visceral hypersensitivity in a validated model of acid-induced oesophageal pain.

Methods: Before and after a 30-minute infusion of 0.