Study: Testing new treatments for chronic pain

Study summary

Around one-third of people are affected by long-term pain, but drug-based treatments only offer limited effectiveness. Treatment using neurofeedback (showing patients their brain activity in real-time) has shown positive results, so the researchers now want to test the effectiveness of treating chronic pain using neurofeedback.

Who can take part?

People with chronic pain (pain recurring for 3 months or longer), including those with fibromyalgia and musculoskeletal pain as well as people without chronic pain. All participants must be aged 40 or over.

What will the research involve?

You will be required to hold your hand and wrist in cold water to elicit a chronic pain-like feeling, while the researchers measure changes in your brain activity. You will be able to remove your hand from the water at any time if it becomes too uncomfortable. Brain activity will be measured using EEG, which involves placing sensors on the participant’s head.

This study has four different parts that  you may be able to take part in, which will include testing the effect of systems for the treatment of chronic pain.

Please contact the team to see which parts of the study are still available.

Where will the research take place?

The research will take place with the Human Pain Research Group at Salford Royal.

Study references

Ethics approved references for this study are listed below

  • Research Ethics Committee ref 18/NS/0102

For more information, please contact the study team

Email james.henshaw-2@manchester.ac.uk or phone 0161 206 4528

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