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Acupuncture showdown: manual vs. electric for constipation relief

NCT ID NCT07506122

Symptom relief Sponsor: Tongji Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
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 Results may not be published yet.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This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.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 Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study compares manual acupuncture and electroacupuncture to see which works better for people with long-term constipation. 72 adults will receive 12 weeks of treatment, three times per week. The main goal is to see if bowel movements increase to at least three per week. Researchers will also look at changes in gut bacteria and brain activity to understand how acupuncture might help.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
acupuncture (manual and electroacupuncture)
What this could lead to
If successful, this could clarify which type of acupuncture works best for constipation and why, potentially leading to a standard non-drug treatment option.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-stage study with no placebo group, so results may not prove effectiveness. Acupuncture effects can vary widely between individuals.

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 72 people

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

Started

May 2026

Expected to finish

Dec 2027

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 75 years

Sex

Anyone

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: * Meet Rome IV diagnostic criteria for functional constipation * Symptoms present for ≥6 months, meeting diagnostic criteria in the last 3 months * Mean weekly complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBMs) ≤2 during 14-day baseline period * Age 18-75 years * No use of constipation medications for at least 2 weeks prior to treatment (except rescue medication) * No acupuncture treatment for constipation in the past 3 months * Not currently participating in another clinical trial * Willing and able to provide written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Constipation secondary to other causes (IBS, organic diseases, medications, endocrine disorders, metabolic disorders, neurological disorders, or gastrointestinal surgery) * Loose or watery stools (Bristol type 6 or 7) \>1 time during baseline without laxative use * History of pelvic floor dysfunction * Use of probiotics, fiber supplements, or laxatives within 2 weeks prior to treatment (2-week washout required) * Severe hemorrhoids or anal fissures * Severe or uncontrolled heart, liver, or kidney disease; abdominal aortic aneurysm; hepatosplenomegaly; cognitive impairment; or psychiatric disorders * Dependence on opioids or anticholinergic drugs * Red flags: unexplained weight loss \>10% in 3 months, hematochezia or positive fecal occult blood, family history of colon cancer (first-degree relative diagnosed \<50 years), anemia (Hb \<110 g/L), or elevated inflammatory markers * Contraindications to acupuncture: coagulation disorders or use of anticoagulants * Pregnancy or breastfeeding * Unable to comply with follow-up or contraindications to MRI (e.g., cardiac pacemaker, non-titanium aneurysm clips, metallic implants, claustrophobia)

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

constipation disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Functional constipation (FC)

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    2 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. 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

  • Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology

    NOT_YET_RECRUITING

    Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China

  • Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology

    RECRUITING

    Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China

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