A brief behavioral treatment for chronic pelvic pain
Official title: A BRIEF, TRANSDIAGNOSTIC COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL TREATMENT FOR UROLOGIC CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN SYNDROME (UCPPS): PROCESS, PREDICTIONS, OUTCOMES
Funded at State University of New York at Buffalo · NIH-11159501 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is testing a short behavioral therapy to help people manage chronic pelvic pain and related conditions like irritable bowel syndrome.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | State University of New York at Buffalo NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Amherst, United States) |
| Project start | September 21, 2021 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $607,569 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK128927-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11159501 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals aged 18-70 years, of any gender or race, who experience urologic chronic pelvic pain syndrome (UCPPS).
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose pain is not related to UCPPS or who are not interested in a behavioral therapy approach may not find this treatment beneficial.
What this research studies
Many people experience chronic pelvic pain, which can be hard to understand and treat, often alongside other conditions like irritable bowel syndrome or fibromyalgia. This project explores a new, brief cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) designed to help individuals learn skills for managing their symptoms. The therapy focuses on changing unhelpful thinking patterns that can make pain worse. We hope this approach will offer a more effective and accessible way to improve chronic pelvic pain and its common related issues.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this brief behavioral treatment could offer a more efficient and accessible way for patients to find relief from chronic pelvic pain and its related conditions.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary research has shown that a similar transdiagnostic behavioral treatment can reduce the severity of irritable bowel syndrome and other chronic overlapping pain conditions.
Where this research is happening
-
State University of New York at Buffalo
Amherst, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lackner, Jeffrey M — State University of New York at Buffalo
- Study coordinator: Lackner, Jeffrey M
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Exploring allergy-based triggers to prevent UCPPS flare-ups
A short, patient-friendly study will look at whether allergy-related antibodies can help predict and prevent flare-ups in people with urologic chronic pelvic pain syndrome.
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Dual Cromolyn-Cetirizine oral capsule to help men with chronic pelvic pain
A new oral medicine combining cromolyn sodium and cetirizine is being developed to help adults with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain by targeting immune and nerve-related pathways.
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Chemical Clues in Chronic Pelvic Pain
This project looks for unique chemical patterns in the body that could help us better understand and treat chronic pelvic pain in men and women.
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Using glial cells to reduce visceral pain in bladder conditions
This study is looking at how certain cells in the nervous system can be activated to help reduce the pain that comes with chronic pelvic pain syndrome, especially for those dealing with bladder issues, and it aims to find new treatment options that could eventually help people like you.
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Improving treatment for chronic pelvic pain in men
This study is looking to create a new oral medication to help men under 50 who suffer from chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome, by combining two types of medicine that have shown promise, and it will first test these new formulas in dogs to find the best one before trying it in people.
-
Investigating the role of food-specific antibodies in chronic pelvic pain conditions.
This study is looking at how certain foods might affect people with chronic pelvic pain, like interstitial cystitis and chronic prostatitis, to find out if changing what you eat can help ease your symptoms.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.