No needles, no drugs: imagined acupuncture tested for Post-Surgery pain

NCT ID NCT07197710

Recruiting now Symptom relief Sponsor: Jingping Wang, MD, Ph.D. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study tests whether watching a video that guides you to imagine acupuncture can reduce pain and the need for painkillers after spinal surgery. 120 adults will either watch the imagery video or an education video daily for a week after surgery. Researchers will compare pain scores, function, and opioid use between the two groups.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: video-guided acupuncture imagery treatment (VGAIT)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could offer a simple, non-invasive way to manage pain after surgery without needles or extra drugs.
What could go wrong: This is an early-stage trial with only 120 participants, and the effect of imagined acupuncture may be small or no better than watching an education video. Results may not apply to other surgeries or pain types.

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

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

agnosia Pain, Postoperative

As listed by the trial registrant

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

PAIN MANAGEMENT

Contacts and locations

Locations

Massachusetts General Hospital
RECRUITING

Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, United States

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