Could a VR headset and ice pack replace painkillers after C-Section?

NCT ID NCT07696949

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 This study
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
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 Results may not be published yet.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This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.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 Jul 10, 2026 · Last updated Jul 15, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This study tests whether virtual reality (VR) and cold packs, alone or together, can reduce pain and anxiety in women after a cesarean section. About 120 women will be randomly assigned to receive VR, cold therapy, both, or standard care. The goal is to see if these drug-free approaches improve recovery and comfort after surgery.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
Virtual reality (head-mounted display) and cryotherapy (cold gel packs)
What this could lead to
If effective, these simple, non-drug methods could become standard options for managing pain and anxiety after C-sections, reducing reliance on medications.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-stage trial (120 participants) testing short-term effects. Results may not apply to all women or settings, and individual responses to VR or cold therapy can vary.

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

About 120 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Jul 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Oct 2026

An estimate. End dates often move.

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 to 45 years

Sex

Female participants only

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: Female participants aged 18 to 45 years. Undergoing elective or emergency cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. Hemodynamically stable after surgery. Able to understand Arabic. Conscious, oriented, and able to complete study questionnaires. Willing to participate and provide written informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: Undergoing cesarean section under general anesthesia. Severe postoperative complications requiring intensive care. Severe visual or hearing impairment preventing virtual reality use. History of epilepsy or seizure disorder. Severe motion sickness or vestibular disorders. Known psychiatric illness interfering with outcome assessment. Cognitive impairment preventing completion of questionnaires. Skin disease, wound complications, cold hypersensitivity, Raynaud's phenomenon, or allergy/intolerance to cryotherapy. Severe intraoperative or postoperative bleeding. Refusal to participate or withdrawal of informed consent.

Get updates

Get notified about this study

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

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

anxiety anxiety disorder Pain, Postoperative

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.

  1. The official record

    The full official record for this study. This one lists no contact details, but it is the first place any would appear.

    Open the record ↗

  2. 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.

More trials for these conditions

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