Meditation may ease pain and mood in veterans

NCT ID NCT04651296

Completed Symptom relief Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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

Summary

This study tested whether a type of compassion meditation could help Veterans with chronic pain who also have depression or PTSD. 142 Veterans were randomly assigned to either compassion meditation training or a health education group. The goal was to see if meditation could reduce how much pain interferes with daily life and improve overall well-being.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: compassion meditation (a type of mind-body training)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could offer a new, drug-free way to reduce pain interference and improve mood and quality of life for people with chronic pain and mental health struggles.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-phase study (142 Veterans) comparing two behavioral interventions, so results may not apply to everyone. The benefit may be modest and not better than standard education.

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.

Chronic Pain chronic pain syndrome Depression depressive disorder post-traumatic stress disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

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

CHRONIC PAIN DEPRESSION STRESS DISORDERS, POSTTRAUMATIC

Contacts and locations

Locations

VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA

San Diego, California, 92161-0002, United States

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