Can a home device blend electricity, sound, and mindfulness to ease back pain?
NCT ID NCT06619418
First seen Aug 20, 2026 · Last updated Aug 21, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests a take-home device that combines electrical stimulation (TENS), sound, and mindfulness techniques for people with chronic lower back pain. The goal is to see how usable and satisfying the device is over 12 weeks. Participants will be trained and then use the device at home, along with guided breathing and journaling. The study focuses on whether people will stick with the treatment and find it acceptable.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- A take-home device combining TENS (electrical stimulation), acoustic stimulation via headphones, and integrative health techniques like guided breathing and journaling.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could lead to a convenient, at-home, drug-free option for managing chronic lower back pain, potentially improving quality of life.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small pilot study focused on usability, not effectiveness. The device may not reduce pain, and individual results may vary. Some people may find the stimulation uncomfortable.
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
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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
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About 20 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Nov 2024
- Expected to finish
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Aug 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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 Hide 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: * Must be 18 years of age or older * Must be within commuting distance to the University of Minnesota * Able to provide consent and follow study instructions * Must be able to understand English * Must have chronic LBP, which is defined as lower back pain for more than 3 months * A score of 4 or higher on the PEG * Must be willing to commit to full duration of the study * Not currently taking any benzodiazepines or sedative hypnotics Exclusion Criteria: * Back Pain associated with: * Spondylolisthesis or spinal stenosis * Sciatica or radiculopathy * Rhematologic or inflammatory disease * Trauma, fracture, dislocation, or previous back surgery * A score of 10 on the PEG * Pregnant * Have an electrically implanted device, such as a pacemaker. * Heart Disease * Epilepsy * Cancer * Psychiatric conditions including psychosis, suicidal ideation, or substance abuse disorder * A pure tone average of more than 40 dB HL at 500 dB, 1000 dB, or 2000 dB HL. * Individuals currently using other lower back pain treatments during the study in which they are unable to maintain a steady state while participating in our study for one month before beginning the multi-modal regimen.
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of Minnesota
RECRUITINGMinneapolis, Minnesota, 55414, United States
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