Microcurrent for Fibromyalgia

NCT ID: NCT04949100

Last Updated: 2026-01-12

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

50 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2021-10-25

Study Completion Date

2026-07-31

Brief Summary

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Explore the use of microcurrent therapy for fibromyalgia patients and evaluate its effect on generalized pain and quality of life.

Determine if microcurrent therapy be effectively self-administered by the patient as an adjunct to medical pain management.

Detailed Description

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This study is not intended to be definitive and should be considered an exploratory randomized trial to determine conditions for which microcurrent is more effective. Thus, extensive subgroup analyses will be performed so that definitive trials can be developed. This is a double-blind study where subjects will not know if they are receiving microcurrent treatment.

Day 0, Screening visit (may occur during the patient's regular health visit):

* Obtain and document signed Informed Consent document and HIPAA Authorization.
* Review past medical history to verify inclusion/exclusion criteria.
* Proper hydration is essential before any microcurrent therapy. Hydration is ensured by the patient drinking at least 8 ounces of water 1 hour before treatment.
* Record onset and chronicity of fibromyalgia syndrome
* Record any medicines that the subject is taking.
* Collect demographic information to include age, weight (pounds), height (inches), race, ethnicity, and sex.
* Record any standard treatment subject is receiving. Standard treatment may include, but is not limited to one or more of the following: medications, physical therapy, acupuncture, pain management clinic, dry needling, occupational therapy, osteopathic manipulative treatment,

Randomization: Subjects will be randomized using complete block design with repeated measure into one of two research-related treatment groups: Group 1 (microcurrent) and Group 2 (placebo microcurrent)

Day 1 (may be same day as screening):

* Subjects will complete the following pre-treatment:

* Measure Yourself Medical Outcome Profile (MYMOP)
* Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR)
* Pre-treatment measurement of active range of motion of both wrists, knees, trunk, neck, and head with the Myovision 3G Wireless System (Myovision, Seattle, WA) ¹ .

--\*(Myovision will be performed for some subjects based off the availability of Myvision trained staff)
* Proper hydration is essential before any microcurrent therapy. Hydration is ensured by the patient drinking at least 8 ounces of water 1 hour before treatment.
* Research participant will receive microcurrent according to their randomization group.
* Post-treatment measurement of active range of motion of both wrists, knees, trunk, neck, and head with the Myovision 3G Wireless System (Myovision, Seattle, WA) ¹ .
* Research participant will be loaned a microcurrent box to bring home with them for this study. They will be instructed to bring the microcurrent box back. A hand-receipt will be signed by the patient accepting responsibility for device replacement if they fail to return or break it.

Day 2-7 (at home microcurrent application):

-The research participant will self-administer the microcurrent according to their randomization group daily.

Day 8:

* Subjects will complete the following pre-treatment:

* MYMOP
* Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR)
* Pre-treatment measurement of active range of motion of both wrists, knees, trunk, neck, and head with the Myovision 3G Wireless System (Myovision, Seattle, WA) ¹ .

--\*(Myovision will be performed for some subjects based off the availability of Myvision trained staff)
* Proper hydration is essential before any microcurrent therapy. Hydration is ensured by the patient drinking at least 8 ounces of water 1 hour before treatment.
* Research participant will receive microcurrent according to their randomization group.
* Post-treatment measurement of active range of motion of both wrists, knees, trunk, neck, and head with the Myovision 3G Wireless System (Myovision, Seattle, WA) ¹ .

Day 15 Final Visit:

* Subjects will complete the following:

* MYMOP
* Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR)
* Measurement of active range of motion of both wrists, knees, trunk, neck, and head with the Myovision 3G Wireless System (Myovision, Seattle, WA) ¹ . --\*(Myovision will be performed for some subjects based off the availability of Myvision trained staff)

Conditions

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Fibromyalgia

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

DOUBLE

Participants Investigators

Study Groups

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Microcurrent

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Microcurrent Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator (TENS) for pain relief

Intervention Type DEVICE

* Duration: 60 minutes.
* Electrode placement: There will be one lead placed on the back of the neck and one placed on lower abdomen.
* Frequency: Each lead delivers a dual channel microcurrent of 10 and 40 Hz simultaneously.
* Amperage: Adjusted according to BMI: 100 μA for an underweight BMI less 20, 300μA for an overweight BMI greater than 30, and 200μA for normal BMI (20-30). Amperage may be adjusted to 20-300 μA according to comfort.
* Positioning: The patient remains seated for the first 10 minutes with the investigator watching for any side effects. The patient may stand, sit, lie supine, et cetera for the remainder of treatment.

Placebo

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

PLACEBO Microcurrent Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator (TENS) for pain relief

Intervention Type DEVICE

* Duration: 60 minutes.
* Frequency: None
* Electrode placement: There will be one lead placed on the back of the neck and one placed on lower abdomen.
* Amperage: None
* Positioning: The patient remains seated for the first 10 minutes, again, with the investigator watching for any side effects. The patient may stand, sit, lie supine, et cetera for the remainder of treatment.

Interventions

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Microcurrent Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator (TENS) for pain relief

* Duration: 60 minutes.
* Electrode placement: There will be one lead placed on the back of the neck and one placed on lower abdomen.
* Frequency: Each lead delivers a dual channel microcurrent of 10 and 40 Hz simultaneously.
* Amperage: Adjusted according to BMI: 100 μA for an underweight BMI less 20, 300μA for an overweight BMI greater than 30, and 200μA for normal BMI (20-30). Amperage may be adjusted to 20-300 μA according to comfort.
* Positioning: The patient remains seated for the first 10 minutes with the investigator watching for any side effects. The patient may stand, sit, lie supine, et cetera for the remainder of treatment.

Intervention Type DEVICE

PLACEBO Microcurrent Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator (TENS) for pain relief

* Duration: 60 minutes.
* Frequency: None
* Electrode placement: There will be one lead placed on the back of the neck and one placed on lower abdomen.
* Amperage: None
* Positioning: The patient remains seated for the first 10 minutes, again, with the investigator watching for any side effects. The patient may stand, sit, lie supine, et cetera for the remainder of treatment.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Male and female Active Duty or DoD beneficiary aged 18-74 years old.
* Meets diagnostic criteria of fibromyalgia as defined by the American College of Rheumatology 1990 Criteria 1,18 to be consistent with prior research.
* Symptom duration of at least 3 months
* Tender points: having \>10/18 tender points
* Pain-affected areas includes all quadrants of the body
* Other causes excluded clinically
* History of a neck injury sometime in their life

Exclusion Criteria

* Peripheral neuropathy
* Pregnancy
* History of:

* Brain/spine surgery
* Nerve entrapment surgery
* Severe bony deformities or contracture
* Hypersensitive reaction to the surface electrode
* Severe psychological disorders
* Current alcohol or drug abuse. (caveat: medical marijuana is permitted)
* Active infections
* Active cancer
* Cardiac arrhythmias (If yes, please list \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_)
* Received an organ transplant
* Pacemakers and electrically implanted electronic devices
* Subjects scheduled for surgery will not be eligible to participate in thisstudy until 6 weeks post-surgery.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

74 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Paul Crawford

FED

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Paul Crawford

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role SPONSOR_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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Mike O'Callaghan Military Medical Center

Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

References

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Day A. The development of the MYMOP pictorial version. Acupunct Med. 2004 Jun;22(2):68-71. doi: 10.1136/aim.22.2.68.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 15253581 (View on PubMed)

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PMID: 10787584 (View on PubMed)

Wolfe F, Clauw DJ, Fitzcharles MA, Goldenberg DL, Katz RS, Mease P, Russell AS, Russell IJ, Winfield JB, Yunus MB. The American College of Rheumatology preliminary diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia and measurement of symptom severity. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2010 May;62(5):600-10. doi: 10.1002/acr.20140.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 20461783 (View on PubMed)

Hauser W, Wolfe F. Diagnosis and diagnostic tests for fibromyalgia (syndrome). Reumatismo. 2012 Sep 28;64(4):194-205. doi: 10.4081/reumatismo.2012.194.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23024964 (View on PubMed)

Gerhardt J., Cocchiarella L., Lea R. The practical guide to range of motion assessment. American Medical Association; Chicago: 2001. pp. 25-32.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

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PMID: 17695343 (View on PubMed)

Lehman, Eric L. (2006). Nonparametrics: Statistical Methods Based on Ranks, Revised, pages 76-81.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Holm, S. 1979. A simple sequential rejective multiple test procedure. Scand. J. Statistics, 6: 65-70

Reference Type BACKGROUND

R Core Team (2014). R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. URL http://www.R-project.org/.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Wolfe F, Smythe HA, Yunus MB, Bennett RM, Bombardier C, Goldenberg DL, Tugwell P, Campbell SM, Abeles M, Clark P, et al. The American College of Rheumatology 1990 Criteria for the Classification of Fibromyalgia. Report of the Multicenter Criteria Committee. Arthritis Rheum. 1990 Feb;33(2):160-72. doi: 10.1002/art.1780330203.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 2306288 (View on PubMed)

Sprott H. What can rehabilitation interventions achieve in patients with primary fibromyalgia? Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2003 Mar;15(2):145-50. doi: 10.1097/00002281-200303000-00011.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 12598803 (View on PubMed)

Lempp HK, Hatch SL, Carville SF, Choy EH. Patients' experiences of living with and receiving treatment for fibromyalgia syndrome: a qualitative study. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2009 Oct 7;10:124. doi: 10.1186/1471-2474-10-124.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 19811630 (View on PubMed)

Rossy LA, Buckelew SP, Dorr N, Hagglund KJ, Thayer JF, McIntosh MJ, Hewett JE, Johnson JC. A meta-analysis of fibromyalgia treatment interventions. Ann Behav Med. 1999 Spring;21(2):180-91. doi: 10.1007/BF02908299.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 10499139 (View on PubMed)

Bertolucci LE, Grey T. Clinical comparative study of microcurrent electrical stimulation to mid-laser and placebo treatment in degenerative joint disease of the temporomandibular joint. Cranio. 1995 Apr;13(2):116-20. doi: 10.1080/08869634.1995.11678054.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 8697497 (View on PubMed)

McMakin: Frequency Specific Microcurrent in Pain Management, Textbook for practitioners. Edinburgh: Elsevier Science Press, 2010

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Cheng N, Van Hoof H, Bockx E, Hoogmartens MJ, Mulier JC, De Dijcker FJ, Sansen WM, De Loecker W. The effects of electric currents on ATP generation, protein synthesis, and membrane transport of rat skin. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1982 Nov-Dec;(171):264-72.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 7140077 (View on PubMed)

Salvat I, Zaldivar P, Monterde S, Montull S, Miralles I, Castel A. Functional status, physical activity level, and exercise regularity in patients with fibromyalgia after Multidisciplinary treatment: retrospective analysis of a randomized controlled trial. Rheumatol Int. 2017 Mar;37(3):377-387. doi: 10.1007/s00296-016-3597-x. Epub 2016 Nov 14.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27844124 (View on PubMed)

McMakin CR, Oschman JL. Visceral and somatic disorders: tissue softening with frequency-specific microcurrent. J Altern Complement Med. 2013 Feb;19(2):170-7. doi: 10.1089/acm.2012.0384. Epub 2012 Jul 9.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22775307 (View on PubMed)

Curtis D, Fallows S, Morris M, McMakin C. The efficacy of frequency specific microcurrent therapy on delayed onset muscle soreness. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2010 Jul;14(3):272-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2010.01.009. Epub 2010 Feb 19.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 20538225 (View on PubMed)

McMakin, C.: Cytokine changes with microcurrent treatment of fibromyalgia. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 9: 169, 2005

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Hewlett, K.: Microcurrent treatment on pain, edema, and decreased muscle force associated with delayed onset muscle soreness: a double-blind, placebo, study. In: Kinesiology & Leisure Sciences: University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2003

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Bennett RM, Friend R, Jones KD, Ward R, Han BK, Ross RL. The Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR): validation and psychometric properties. Arthritis Res Ther. 2009;11(4):R120. doi: 10.1186/ar2783. Epub 2009 Aug 10.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 19664287 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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FWH20210098H

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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