Can music tune down chronic pain? a trial for service members puts it to the test
NCT ID NCT07755540
First seen Aug 10, 2026 · Last updated Aug 28, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
This study tests whether an 8-week group music therapy program can help active duty service members manage chronic pain. Participants are randomly assigned to either the music therapy plus standard care or standard care alone. The program includes music-guided breathing, relaxation, group improvisation, and home practice of pain management skills. Researchers will measure changes in pain intensity, pain interference, mood, sleep, and medication use.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Group music therapy
- What this could lead to
- If effective, this could offer a non-drug, group-based approach to help service members manage chronic pain and improve daily functioning.
- What could go wrong
- This is a mid-stage trial with a modest sample size, so results may not be conclusive or widely applicable. Benefits may vary, and the time commitment could be a barrier.
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
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Phase 2
Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.
- Participants
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About 130 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Mar 2026
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 to 64 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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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 service member * Age 18 -64 years of age * Diagnosis of chronic benign pain for at least 3 months * Average pain severity greater than 4/10 on the Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale * Able to read and understand English Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnancy * Mental health conditions that would prevent compliance with or productive participation in group sessions * Cognitive impairment preventing completion of study measures * Malignant disease * Progressive neurological disorder * Moderate to profound hearing impairment not corrected with hearing aids * Previous participation in music therapy services at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER)
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
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.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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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
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Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER)
RECRUITINGAnchorage, Alaska, 99505, United States
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