Can a gentle touch ease persistent pain? scientists launch investigation
NCT ID NCT07551687
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This observational study looks at how people with chronic pain experience pleasant touch and how often they encounter it in daily life. Researchers want to see if these experiences are linked to pain sensitivity and body awareness. About 100 adults referred to a pain clinic in Sweden will fill out online questionnaires. No treatment or intervention is given.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this study could help researchers understand how social touch might influence chronic pain, potentially pointing toward new non-drug approaches to pain management.
- What could go wrong
- This is an observational study, not a treatment trial. It only measures experiences and does not test any intervention, so it cannot directly lead to a new therapy.
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.
- Participants
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About 100 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Apr 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Feb 2030
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.
Who is studied
Adults with persistent pain referred to Smärtteam Västra Götaland for clinical assessment and management.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- 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.
Show the full entry requirements Hide 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: * Adults aged 18 years and older * Referred to and accepted for assessment at Pain Clinic (Smärtteam) Västra Götaland due to persistent pain (duration ≥ 3 months) * Able to read and complete self-report questionnaires in Swedish Exclusion Criteria: * Inability to read or complete self-report questionnaires in Swedish * Need for interpreter support
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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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Smärtteam Västra Götaland
Gothenburg, Sweden
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