Tiny electric needles: a new weapon against chronic neck pain?

NCT ID NCT04981171

Completed Symptom relief Sponsor: Shi Hangyu Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Aug 10, 2026 · Last updated Aug 11, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This trial tests whether electro-thumbtack needle therapy (ETN) can reduce chronic neck pain. ETN uses tiny press needles with mild electrical stimulation at specific points on the body. The study will compare ETN to a sham (fake) version in 180 adults aged 18-65 with neck pain lasting at least 3 months. The main goal is to see if more people experience at least a 50% reduction in pain with ETN compared to the sham treatment.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: Electro-thumbtack needle therapy (ETN), a procedure combining tiny press needles with mild electrical stimulation at specific acupoints
What this could lead to: If effective, this could offer a convenient, drug-free option for managing chronic neck pain.
What could go wrong: This is a single-center trial, and results may not apply broadly. The placebo effect is strong in pain studies, and the therapy may not outperform sham treatment.

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

Get updates

Get notified about this study

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

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Neck Pain

As listed by the trial registrant

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

NECK PAIN

Contacts and locations

Locations

Guang'anmen Hospital

Beijing, China

More trials for these conditions

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