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Acupuncture for Vulvodynia: A Pre-pilot Study
NCT02704234 · View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Study Summary
Vulvodynia is a women's pain condition. Women have pain in their vulva, the area in their genitals between the vagina and labia (lips of the vagina). They also have pain when they have sexual intercourse or insert anything in the vagina. Sometimes they have so much pain, that they cannot have sex. This research is being done for two reasons. The first reason is to test a set of special needles called double-blinded acupuncture needles to give acupuncture treatments (one is a real needle and the other is a fake needle). The second reason is to develop a protocol (checklist) that will be used in this and future studies, and to identify and resolve any procedural problems. The protocol will be first tested by the principal investigator who is also an acupuncturist. The investigator will perform acupuncture using the protocol, if necessary change the protocol, and then teach a second acupuncturist using the modified protocol how to use the double-blinded acupuncture needles. The real needle called the penetrating needle penetrates the skin. The fake needle called the non-penetrating placebo touch needle does not penetrate the skin but it touches the skin so it feels like a needle is being inserted. It has a blunt tip. Participants can't see which needle they are getting acupuncture with because the needles are housed in a double-blinded needle device which has two tubes (an inner and an outer) that neither the acupuncturists nor the participants can see through. If a fake acupuncture needle can be used in acupuncture research like a sugar pill is used for drug studies to see how well the real medicine works, the investigators can see how effective acupuncture is. The investigators will be testing these needles to treat participants with vulvodynia.
Conditions Studied
Interventions
- OTHER Active Acupuncture
- OTHER Placebo Acupuncture
Study Locations (1)
Illinois
- A Center for Oriental Medicine — Wilmette
Trial Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Enrollment Target | 6 participants |
| Start Date | 2018-02-23 |
| Est. Completion | 2022-11-07 |
| Phase | NA |
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Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗What the Registry Record Tells You About NCT02704234
The ClinicalTrials.gov registry entry for NCT02704234 describes a study currently listed as completed. It is categorized as NA, which is the standard way researchers label where a study sits along the investigational pathway from early safety work through later efficacy and post-marketing evaluation. The registered enrollment target is 6 participants, a figure that helps gauge the scale of data the investigators plan to collect. The listed sponsor is University of Illinois at Chicago, which has 421 total studies on file at ClinicalTrials.gov, and sponsors are the parties responsible for study design, oversight, and regulatory filings.
The record links to 4 conditions, with Pain appearing as the primary indexed condition, and to 2 interventions — of which Active Acupuncture is the first listed. Interventions can include drugs, devices, procedures, behavioral programs, or observational arms, and each is tracked as a separate registry field so that downstream queries can filter accurately. When a trial lists multiple interventions, it usually reflects a multi-arm design or a comparison protocol rather than a single treatment being tested in isolation. The brief summary published in the registry is the clearest source of protocol intent and should be read before drawing conclusions from any sidebar tags.
Geographic footprint matters for practical reasons: NCT02704234 reports 1 study location spanning 1 distinct geographic area — top geographies include Illinois. A larger site network tends to correlate with broader recruitment capacity, but it does not imply anything about study quality, and site-level enrollment status can diverge from the overall registry status shown above. Every data point on this page comes from the public ClinicalTrials.gov dataset and is reproduced here for reference only; it is not a medical recommendation, an endorsement of the sponsor, or an invitation to enroll. Verify current status, eligibility criteria, and contact details directly at ClinicalTrials.gov, and discuss any participation decision with your own healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is clinical trial NCT02704234 about?
NCT02704234 is a clinical study titled "Acupuncture for Vulvodynia: A Pre-pilot Study". Vulvodynia is a women's pain condition. Women have pain in their vulva, the area in their genitals between the vagina and labia (lips of the vagina). They also have pain when they have sexual intercourse or insert anything in the vagina. Sometimes they have so much pain, that they cannot have sex. ...
What is the current status of trial NCT02704234?
This trial is currently completed. It is a NA study. The enrollment target is 6 participants. The study started on 2018-02-23. Estimated completion is 2022-11-07.
What conditions does trial NCT02704234 study?
This clinical trial studies the following conditions: Pain, Dyspareunia, Vulvodynia, Vulvar Vestibulitis. These conditions were identified from the trial registry and reflect the primary focus areas of the research.
What interventions are being tested in trial NCT02704234?
The interventions under investigation include: Active Acupuncture (OTHER), Placebo Acupuncture (OTHER). Each intervention is being evaluated for safety and efficacy as part of this clinical study.
Who is sponsoring clinical trial NCT02704234?
This trial is sponsored by University of Illinois at Chicago, which has 421 total clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. The sponsor is responsible for the study's design, funding, and regulatory compliance.
Where is trial NCT02704234 being conducted?
This trial has 1 study location across Illinois. Contact the study sites directly through ClinicalTrials.gov for enrollment availability.
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