Prevalence of chronic pelvic pain among women: an updated review.
Alebtekin Ahangari
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24658485Actively Recruiting
Phase Not Applicable
Age: 21Years - 65Years
FEMALE
ID06388590
Acupuncture for Chronic Pelvic Pain in Females Using Dragon's Protocol Compared to Standard Pain Control
Led by David Moss · Updated on 2026-04-14
64
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
N/A
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Researchers are evaluating whether acupuncture, specifically the Dragon's protocol, can help reduce chronic pelvic pain in women aged 21 to 65. This study focuses on non-endometriosis pelvic pain and includes women both with and without a history of sexual assault. The Dragon's protocol acupuncture aims to address both physical pain and emotional trauma by combining external and internal acupuncture treatments to reprocess traumatic memories and potentially calm the nervous system. Participants will first undergo 4 weeks of standard pain care such as physical therapy, psychotherapy, or usual medical management. Then, the same women will receive acupuncture treatments once weekly for 4 weeks using the Dragon's protocol. The acupuncture involves placing needles on both the back (external dragons) and front (internal dragons) of the body during each session, aiming to balance traumatic memories and pain responses. Throughout the study, participants will complete pain assessments using the Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale (DVPRS) and the Female Genitourinary Pain Index (GUPI) at multiple visits from week 0 to week 11. Women with a history of sexual trauma will also complete the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) to evaluate changes in PTSD symptoms. Visits include screening, baseline, weekly acupuncture sessions, and follow-ups, some of which may be virtual. Researchers will monitor pain levels and quality of life to understand the impact of the acupuncture treatment.
CONDITIONS
Brief Title
Acupuncture for Chronic Pelvic Pain
Who Can Participate
Age: 21Years - 65Years
FEMALE
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Female active duty or Department of Defense beneficiary aged 21 to 65
- Have chronic pelvic pain
- Negative laparoscopic findings for endometriosis
- Able to receive care at Nellis Air Force Base
You will not qualify if you...
- Severe mental health disorders with psychotic features such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or schizoaffective disorder
- Pelvic pain caused by severe physical trauma excluding sexual assault
- Pregnancy
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
1
2
3
Your Study Journey
Screening
Duration - 2 to 4 weeks
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.
1 visit (in-person)
Standard of Care Observation
Duration - 4 weeks
Participants receive standard pain control therapies such as physical therapy, psychotherapy, behavioral health, and primary care management for chronic pelvic pain for 4 weeks prior to acupuncture treatment.
1 baseline visit at week 0 and 1 visit at week 4 (in-person)
Acupuncture Treatment
Duration - 4 weeks
Participants receive weekly acupuncture treatment using Dragon's protocol once per week for 4 weeks to help reduce chronic pelvic pain and possibly improve PTSD symptoms for those with a history of sexual trauma.
4 weekly visits (in-person)
Follow-up and Assessment
Duration - 4 weeks
Participants are assessed for pain and PTSD symptoms approximately 4 weeks after completion of acupuncture treatment to evaluate treatment effects.
1 visit (may be virtual) at week 11
Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
Mike O'Callaghan Military Medical Center
Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, United States, 89191
Actively Recruiting
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Research Team
A
Amanda Crawford, MSHS
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
NONE
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Model
CROSSOVER
Primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Number of Arms
2
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Published Research Related To This Trial
Chronic Pelvic Pain in Women: A Review.
Georgine Lamvu, Jorge Carrillo, Chensi Ouyang...
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34128995Efficacy of acupuncture for endometriosis-associated pain: a multicenter randomized single-blind placebo-controlled trial.
Pei Shuang Li, Xue Mei Peng, Xiang Xin Niu...
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36716811Acupuncture for pain in endometriosis.
Xiaoshu Zhu, Kindreth D Hamilton, Ewan D McNicol
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21901713