Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation for Chronic Low Back Pain (NCT05265000)
🩺 Plain-English Summary (8th-Grade Level)
As a leading cause of disability worldwide, chronic low back pain (cLBP) represents a significant medical and socioeconomic problem with estimated health care spending of $87 billion/annually. The efficacy of dorsal column electrical stimulation to inhibit pain was first described over 50 years ago. Since then, several large clinical trials have investigated the therapeutic potential of electrical spinal cord stimulation (SCS) and found that over 70% of patients with intractable pain had over 50% pain relief after 1 year of treatment. Thus, SCS is a promising therapeutic intervention that has superior patient outcomes when compared to traditional modalities for the treatment of cLBP. To date, SCS for treatment of cLBP has been delivered via epidural electrodes, requiring neurosurgical implantation. Although, the implantable stimulators have a low rate of adverse events, secondary complications associated with surgical intervention still occur.Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) is a rapidly developing non invasive neuromodulation technique in the field of spinal cord injury. Its application potentiates lumbosacral spinal cord excitability enabling motor functions, (e.g. independent standing, postural control) in patients with chronic complete motor paralysis. Given that epidural and transcutaneous SCS activate similar neuronal networks, tSCS for cLBP treatment may be advantageous due to its non-invasive nature which may also allow for a mass market production and rapid patient availability if tSCS is proven efficacious. In this pilot study we will establish the feasibility of tSCS to acutely improve patient reported outcomes (pain scores) and several objective measures, including sit-to-stand biomechanics, neurophysiological and neuroimaging outcomes.
Who can join: Review the eligibility criteria below.
Location: San Francisco VA Medical Center — San Francisco, California
Age range: 21 Years to 85 Years
🧪 Interventions in This Study
📋 "Do I Qualify?" — 1-Minute Self Screener
Instant ChecklistFull eligibility criteria are available on the official NIH protocol. View the criteria ↗
📍 All Participating Trial Locations (1 Sites)
- San Francisco VA Medical Center — San Francisco, California
📞 Contact the Study Coordinator
Phone: (628) 206-3734
Email: anastasia.keller@ucsf.edu
Coordinator details come directly from the registered NIH protocol. Confirm the study is still recruiting before traveling.
💰 Cost, Insurance & Patient Rights
- 100% Free Items: The investigational treatment and protocol-required procedures are supplied at zero cost by the sponsor.
- Routine Patient Care: Under federal law (ACA § 2709) and many state statutes, routine care costs are covered during participation.
- Voluntary Participation: You may withdraw at any time without affecting your standard medical care.
More studies in Chronic Low-back Pain
- Safety, Tolerability, and Effectiveness of Intramuscular Injection of CELZ-201-DDT for the Treatment of Chronic Lower Back Pain — Aventura, Florida
- Psilocybin Therapy for Chronic Low Back Pain — San Francisco, California
- Cryoneurolysis Versus Radiofrequency Ablation for the Treatment of Chronic Low Back Pain — Kansas City, Kansas
- EaseVRx-8w+ for the Treatment of Chronic Lower Back Pain — Van Nuys, California
- Efficacy of Spinal Manipulation Therapy or Mindfulness-based Reduction Therapy on Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain — Chicago, Illinois
- Partial Sleep Restriction in Chronic Low Back Pain: A Feasibility Study — Kansas City, Kansas
Explore by condition: All Chronic Low-back Pain clinical trials
💡 How to Participate
- Check the checklist above to see if you may qualify.
- Contact the study coordinator using the phone/email above.
- Ask about the visit schedule, what is covered at no cost, and any travel support.
- Confirm with your own doctor before making a decision.