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Acupuncture aims to quiet PTSD's Fight-or-Flight response

NCT ID NCT05516862

Symptom relief Sponsor: Paul Crawford 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 Results may not be published yet.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This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.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 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests a specific type of acupuncture, called 'External and Internal Dragons,' to see if it can reduce PTSD symptoms in military members and their families. The treatment is designed to help the rational and emotional parts of the brain communicate better, so the emotional brain no longer sees past trauma as an ongoing threat. Researchers will measure changes in PTSD symptoms using interviews and questionnaires, and also look at certain blood markers.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
acupuncture (External and Internal Dragons technique)
What this could lead to
If it works, this could offer a drug-free option to help people with PTSD feel less distressed by traumatic memories.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-stage trial with 75 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Acupuncture effects can vary, and the study lacks a placebo control group.

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 75 people

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

Started

Oct 2022

Expected to finish

Oct 2026

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

A government agency

The lead sponsor is a US federal agency other than the NIH.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 74 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: * Active Duty members and DoD beneficiaries(i.e. former military, spouse, dependent child), 18-65 years old * Meeting the criteria for PTSD based on PCL-5 (past month scores) score of 31 or higher * At least 1 positive response to at least one item on the LEC-5. Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnant, may be pregnant, or attempting to become pregnant. There areno known risks of this acupuncture in pregnant patients; however, we will exclude pregnancy due to the location of the needles (right over the uterus in 3rd trimester) and risk of exacerbating anxiety that may cause stress on the baby. Subjects will be told to let us know if they become pregnant so we can disenroll them from the study. * Prior treatment with Dragons acupuncture * History of hospitalization for mental health reasons within the last year * Active Suicidal thoughts (is currently considering suicide or has a plan) or suicide attempt within the last year. This will be assessed by direct questioning. * Is currently receiving acupuncture or other non-medication treatments specifically for PTSD (patients can elect to forgo PTSD treatments during the study period and then resume after the study period is over; ie halt therapy during the study period) * Legally Authorized Representatives will not be utilized in this study \*\*Patients must be able to get care at Nellis Air Force Base (a military installation) in order to participate in this study\*\*

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

post-traumatic stress disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Acupuncture Post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD

How to take part

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

  1. The places running it

    1 site. 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

  • Mike O'Callaghan Military Medical Center

    RECRUITING

    Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, 89191, United States

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