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Feasibility of Near-infrared Spectroscopy to Measure Cortical Pain Pathway (Brain) Activation During Dry Needling
NCT04170803 · View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Study Summary
The benefit experienced by some patients when treated with dry needling,1 combined with the field-expedient nature of this intervention, make dry needling uniquely suited for the military healthcare environment. An improved understanding of the mechanism by which dry needling exerts its clinical benefits will allow clinicians to adopt more efficacious treatment strategies for Soldiers with chronic musculoskeletal pain. The proposed study will utilize functional near-infrared spectroscopy and structural health monitoring (SHM) to provide insight on the central and peripheral mechanisms of dry needling. Phase 1 will compare the cortical pain pathway response of thirty participants with non-traumatic shoulder pain receiving either true or sham dry needling. An additional 15 participants will be enrolled to receive true dry needling to determine if brain responses may be able to predict clinical improvement (responders versus non-responders) in phase 2. Since chronic pain after musculoskeletal injury is the leading cause of medical discharge from service and a primary source of disability in the U.S. military2,3, improved complementary and alternative treatment strategies have the potential to have a large impact on both military readiness and health care costs within the Armed Forces.
Conditions Studied
Interventions
- DEVICE Dry Needling
- OTHER Sham Dry Needling
Study Locations (1)
Texas
- Army Medical Department Center and Schools, Ft Sam Houston — San Antonio
Trial Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Enrollment Target | 18 participants |
| Start Date | 2019-01-08 |
| Est. Completion | 2020-07-24 |
| Phase | Early Phase 1 |
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Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗What the Registry Record Tells You About NCT04170803
The ClinicalTrials.gov registry entry for NCT04170803 describes a study currently listed as completed. It is categorized as Early Phase 1, 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 18 participants, a figure that helps gauge the scale of data the investigators plan to collect. The listed sponsor is Army-Baylor University Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy, which has 1 total studies on file at ClinicalTrials.gov, and sponsors are the parties responsible for study design, oversight, and regulatory filings.
The record links to 3 conditions, with Chronic Pain appearing as the primary indexed condition, and to 2 interventions — of which Dry Needling 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: NCT04170803 reports 1 study location spanning 1 distinct geographic area — top geographies include Texas. 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 NCT04170803 about?
NCT04170803 is a clinical study titled "Feasibility of Near-infrared Spectroscopy to Measure Cortical Pain Pathway (Brain) Activation During Dry Needling". The benefit experienced by some patients when treated with dry needling,1 combined with the field-expedient nature of this intervention, make dry needling uniquely suited for the military healthcare environment. An improved understanding of the mechanism by which dry needling exerts its clinical ben...
What is the current status of trial NCT04170803?
This trial is currently completed. It is a Early Phase 1 study. The enrollment target is 18 participants. The study started on 2019-01-08. Estimated completion is 2020-07-24.
What conditions does trial NCT04170803 study?
This clinical trial studies the following conditions: Chronic Pain, Shoulder Pain, Musculoskeletal Injury. These conditions were identified from the trial registry and reflect the primary focus areas of the research.
What interventions are being tested in trial NCT04170803?
The interventions under investigation include: Dry Needling (DEVICE), Sham Dry Needling (OTHER). Each intervention is being evaluated for safety and efficacy as part of this clinical study.
Who is sponsoring clinical trial NCT04170803?
This trial is sponsored by Army-Baylor University Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy, which has 1 total clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. The sponsor is responsible for the study's design, funding, and regulatory compliance.
Where is trial NCT04170803 being conducted?
This trial has 1 study location across Texas. Contact the study sites directly through ClinicalTrials.gov for enrollment availability.
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