Could a magnetic helmet ease bladder pain? new study investigates
NCT ID NCT04734847
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests whether a non-invasive magnetic brain stimulation technique, called rTMS, can reduce pain in women with interstitial cystitis or bladder pain syndrome. The treatment targets brain areas that control pelvic floor muscles, aiming to lower pain by improving how the brain and muscles work together. Fifty women will receive either real or sham rTMS to see if it provides lasting relief.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a non-invasive, drug-free option for managing chronic bladder pain in women.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study with 50 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The sham control means some may not benefit, and long-term effects are unknown.
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 50 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jun 2021
- Expected to finish
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Oct 2026
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 years and older
- Sex
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Female participants only
- 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: 1. Be at least 18 years old. 2. Be female. 3. Have a diagnosis of IC/BPS by the referring physician, with urologic symptoms present a majority of the time during the most recent 3 months 4. Screen within standard limits for pelvic pain Exclusion Criteria: 1. Symptomatic urethral stricture 2. On-going neurological conditions affecting the bladder or bowel 3. Active auto-immune or infectious disorders 4. History of cystitis caused by tuberculosis or radiation or chemotherapies 5. History of non-dermatologic cancer 6. Current major psychiatric disorders 7. Severe cardiac, pulmonary, renal, or hepatic disease 8. Conditions or the use of medical devices that are contraindications for either fMRI or rTMS procedures, including pregnancy, seizure disorders, or chronic headaches
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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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California, 90049, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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