How mindfulness meditation and self-hypnosis can help older adults manage chronic pain
Official title: Mechanisms of Mindfulness Meditation and Self-Hypnosis for Pain in Older Adults with Chronic Pain
Funded at University of Washington · NIH-11223846 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how mindfulness meditation and self-hypnosis can help older adults with chronic pain feel better without using medications, by seeing how these practices affect the brain while they’re being monitored.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | September 26, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $20,439 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AG079832-01A1S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11223846 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are older adults aged 60 and above who experience chronic pain.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not experiencing chronic pain or are younger than 60 years old may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation and self-hypnosis as non-drug treatments for chronic pain in older adults. By using experimental pain paradigms, the study aims to understand how these techniques can alter brain mechanisms related to pain perception. Participants will engage in mindfulness and self-hypnosis practices while their brain activity is monitored, helping to identify which patients may benefit most from these interventions. The goal is to provide safer alternatives to opioid medications for managing chronic pain in individuals aged 60 and older.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide older adults with effective, non-pharmacological options for managing chronic pain, reducing reliance on opioids.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results for mindfulness meditation and self-hypnosis in pain management, indicating potential for success in this study.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Washington
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jensen, Mark P — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Jensen, Mark P
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Mindfulness and Self-Hypnosis for Pain in Older Adults
This grant tests non-drug ways like mindfulness and self-hypnosis to help people over 60 manage chronic pain.
-
Mindfulness and psilocybin for chronic back pain
A clinical study will explore how mindfulness training combined with a guided psilocybin experience may reduce pain for adults with chronic low back pain.
-
Mobile mindfulness app to help spinal cord injury patients manage chronic pain
A widely available mindfulness app is being tested to help people with spinal cord injury reduce chronic pain and improve mood and daily functioning.
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Mindfulness and Self-Hypnosis for Pain in Older Adults
A non-drug program using mindfulness meditation and self-hypnosis is being studied to help Americans aged 60 and up manage chronic pain.
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Mindfulness and self-hypnosis to ease chronic pain in older adults
This project tests whether mindfulness meditation and self-hypnosis can reduce chronic pain and change brain activity in people aged 60 and older.
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Mindfulness combined with open-label placebo for chronic pain
This project tests whether adding an open-label placebo to a mindfulness program helps adults with chronic pain reduce pain and improve daily functioning.
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.