Ethyl chloride spray to ease pain from limb corticosteroid injections
Official title: Does "Freeze Spray" Work? Evaluating the Efficacy of Ethyl Chloride Usage Prior to Orthopaedic Injections
Run by University of Chicago · NCT06651788 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial will see if spraying ethyl chloride or cold saline on the skin reduces pain and anxiety for adults getting their first corticosteroid injection in an arm or leg.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 246 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Chicago Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Chicago, Illinois) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | April 1, 2025 |
| Main results expected | December 31, 2027 |
| Study ends | December 1, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | October 8, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06651788 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults (18+) receiving their first corticosteroid injection in an upper or lower extremity for conditions such as osteoarthritis, tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, or de Quervain's tenosynovitis.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with prior injection experiences are excluded and people receiving injections outside the limbs or needing deeper anesthesia may not gain benefit from a superficial freeze spray.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This interventional trial compares ethyl chloride freeze spray to a cold saline spray applied immediately before corticosteroid injections for upper or lower extremity soft tissue and joint conditions. Adults receiving their first corticosteroid injection will receive one of the topical sprays and then undergo the injection per routine clinical technique. Investigators will measure procedural pain and patient-reported anxiety/discomfort using standardized scales to compare immediate effects between the two sprays. The study aims to provide clearer, controlled evidence about the efficacy and safety of freeze spray use in orthopaedic injections.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients may experience less pain and anxiety during corticosteroid injections, improving comfort and willingness to undergo needed injections.
How similar studies have gone: A prior randomized study in hand surgery of about 150 subjects using non-standardized outcomes showed no clear difference, so existing evidence is limited and mixed.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * 18 years and older * Receiving a corticosteroid injection in an upper or lower extremity (to include soft tissue and joint injections) Exclusion Criteria: * 17 years old and younger * declines enrollment
Where it's running
-
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Jennifer M Wolf, MD, PhD
- Email: jwolf@bsd.uchicago.edu
- Phone: 773-834-3531
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.