Squeeze away fear: stress balls tested for mammogram pain
NCT ID NCT07562828
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests two simple, non-drug methods to help women feel less anxious and in pain during mammograms and breast ultrasounds. One group will squeeze a stress ball before and during the procedure, another will receive calming words and gentle touch, and a third will get standard care. Researchers will measure anxiety and pain levels in 122 first-time participants to see if these approaches help.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- stress ball and empathic verbal communication with therapeutic touch
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer simple, drug-free ways to make breast imaging less stressful and painful for women.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial with no blinding, so results may be influenced by placebo effects or participant expectations.
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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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
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About 122 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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May 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Sep 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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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
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: * Female participants aged 18 years and older * Scheduled to undergo mammography and breast ultrasonography * Undergoing these imaging procedures for the first time * Literate (able to read and understand study materials) * No sensory or motor impairment affecting the upper extremities (hands/arms) * Willing to participate and able to provide written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Previous experience of mammography or breast ultrasonography * Presence of any cognitive impairment that may affect understanding or communication * Presence of any physical disability that may interfere with participation * Hearing or visual impairment that may hinder communication or completion of study procedures * Refusal to participate or inability to provide informed consent
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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 official record
The full official record for this study. This one lists no contact details, but it is the first place any would appear.
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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.
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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