Cure My Disease

Don't miss your cure!

 Log in / Sign up

Can needles in the ear quiet Leprosy's lingering pain?

NCT ID NCT07862413

Symptom relief Sponsor: Universidade Federal de Pernambuco Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Oct 07, 2026 · Last updated Oct 08, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

Leprosy can leave people with lasting nerve pain even after the infection is cured. This small pilot study tests whether acupuncture on the ear, with or without a mild electrical current, can reduce that pain when combined with health education. Researchers randomly assign 16 adults with leprosy to one of three groups: electroacupuncture, plain ear acupuncture, or a TENS device as an active comparison. They measure pain intensity, mobility, arm function, disability, and quality of life before and after five weeks of sessions.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
auricular acupuncture, with or without electrical stimulation
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward a low-cost, drug-free option for easing the chronic nerve pain that often lingers after leprosy treatment.
What could go wrong
This is a tiny pilot study of 16 people, so any hint of benefit could be chance and may not hold up in a larger trial. Acupuncture carries small risks like soreness or minor bleeding at the needle sites.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

16 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Apr 2025

Finished

May 2026

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18 years or older. * Confirmed diagnosis of leprosy, regardless of clinical form. * Availability to participate in the study twice weekly for 5 weeks. * Agreement to participate in the study and provision of informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of neurological disease, including stroke, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. * Use of a cardiac pacemaker. * Diagnosis of neoplasia. * Pregnancy. * Participation in another physiotherapy treatment during the study period. * Use of a hearing aid.

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Leprosy are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Health Education leprosy Pain

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Leprosy

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Laboratory of Electrothermophototherapy (LETER), Department of Physiotherapy, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco

    Recife, Pernambuco, 50670-901, Brazil

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.