Tests electro-acupuncture for pelvic pain in women with suspected endometriosis
Tests up to 9 electro-acupuncture sessions to ease pain in women with suspected endometriosis.
Key facts
- Who runs it
- St. Olavs Hospital
- Where
- Trondheim, NorwaySee the site
- Trial code
- Registry title
- Pelvic Pain Electro-Acupuncture
- Status
- Recruiting
- People taking part
- 38 people, planned
- Started
- 16 Dec 2025
- Expected to end
- 30 Apr 2027
- Type of study
- Interventional, 2 groupsOne group gets no study treatment, for comparison.
- Treatments tested
- Electro acupuncture
- Record updated
- 21 July 2026
Who can take part
AI summary
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.
The trial is looking for women aged 18-45 with suspected endometriosis and moderate to severe pelvic pain, who are booked for a diagnostic laparoscopy. It tests electroacupuncture for pain.
- Age
- 18 to 45 years
- Sex
- Women only
- Disease stage
- Suspected endometriosis with moderate to severe pelvic pain, referred for diagnostic laparoscopy
- Earlier treatment
- Cannot be using opioid pain relief
Main reasons for not taking part
- Pregnancy
- Use of opioid pain relief
- Taking part in other pain management trials
The registry criteria, word for word
Show all 7 criteriaShow less
Who can take part
- Women aged 18-45 years referred for diagnostic laparoscopy with suspicion of endometriosis
- Experiencing moderate to severe pelvic pain
- Willing to commit to the treatment schedule and follow-up
- Understanding Norwegian or English to be able to communicate and fill out questionnaires
Who cannot take part
- Concurrent participation in other pain management trials
- Pregnancy
- Use of opioid pain relief
Check if you might fit
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 18 and 45 years old?
Where in Norway
- St. Olav's University HospitalTrondheim, NorwayContact: Ingrid VolløyhaugTaking people
About the trial
What the trial wants to find out
The aim of the study is to investigate if a series of up to 9 treatment sessions of electroacupuncture can be used to alleviate pain in women with suspected endometriosis, scheduled for diagnostic laparoscopy
The 2 groups in the trial
- Intervention, electroacupunctureTreatment being tested
Frequency: 3 sessions per week for 3 weeks. Needle retention time: \~30 minutes per session. Electroacupuncture at a frequency of 2 Hz Electroacupuncture Stimulation Parameters Electroacupuncture will be administered at a frequency of 2 Hz, as this has been shown to stimulate the release of endogenous opioids, including endorphins and enkephalins. These neuropeptides contribute to pain modulation and inflammation reduction via activation of the body's natural analgesic pathways (7). Additionally, low-frequency stimulation at 2 Hz has been associated with parasympathetic nervous system activation, which may further enhance pain relief by reducing stress-related sympathetic activity and promoting a relaxed physiological state. This dual mechanism makes 2 Hz electroacupuncture a suitable intervention for chronic and inflammatory pain conditions. Electrode placement and treatment duration will be standardized across participants to ensure consistency in stimulation intensity, needle depth
Treatment: Electro acupuncture
- ControlNo study treatment, for comparison
Waiting as usual prior to surgery
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations
Print a page for my doctorData and sources
- Registry record
- Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Official title
- Pelvic Pain Electro-Acupuncture: Randomized Study for Symptom Liberation
- Plain-language title
- Tests electro-acupuncture for pelvic pain in women with suspected endometriosisGenerated from the registry record. The registry title is the official one.
- AI summary
- From the trial's eligibility criteria. Read by machine on 12 November 2026.
- Fit questions
- Built from NCT07305025, who can take part
- Record updated
- 21 July 2026