A Case of Cala Trio-Induced Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia in a Patient with Essential Tremor and Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease.

Authors

Moriah R Arnold, Amie L Hiller

Published in

Tremor and other hyperkinetic movements (New York, N.Y.). Volume 16. Pages 41. Epub Jun 15, 2026.

Abstract

Cala Trio is a wrist-worn transcutaneous afferent patterned stimulation (TAPS) device for essential tremor (ET), delivering high-frequency stimulation to the median and radial nerves.
We report the first case of glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GPN) associated with Cala Trio initiation in a 69-year-old male with ET and Parkinson's disease, with prior GPN. Throat spasms triggered by swallowing and coughing began after initiation on two trials and resolved with discontinuation; evaluation was unrevealing.
We review TAPS mechanisms, GPN neuroanatomy, and circuit-level links between peripheral nerve stimulation and brainstem cranial nerve hyperexcitability, highlighting a novel adverse event and need for caution in patients with prior GPN.
We report the first case of glossopharyngeal neuralgia associated with Cala Trio TAPS therapy in a patient with essential tremor and Parkinson's disease. Symptoms were temporally linked to device use and resolved upon discontinuation, suggesting a reversible neuromodulation-related effect and expanding the safety profile of peripheral tremor therapies.

PMID:
42434539
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 11 Jul 2026.

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