Mapping sensations from spinal cord stimulation in people with chronic pain

Generating Artificial Sensory Perceptions Using Spinal Cord Stimulation

NA · University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill · NCT07095036

This project tries to identify the sensations spinal cord stimulation produces and see how those sensations change when stimulation settings are adjusted in adults receiving SCS for chronic pain.

Quick facts

PhaseNA
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment10 (estimated)
Ages18 Years to 85 Years
SexAll
SponsorUniversity of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (other)
Locations1 site (Chapel Hill, North Carolina)
Trial IDNCT07095036 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This interventional study enrolls adults 18–85 who are undergoing spinal cord stimulation implantation for chronic, intractable pain. Investigators will apply SCS and systematically vary stimulation parameters while recording and mapping the sensations participants report. Participants must be able to walk 10 meters without assistance and provide written consent; those at high risk of falling or lacking consent capacity are excluded. The data will be used to better understand parameter–sensation relationships and inform device programming.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Adults aged 18–85 who are undergoing SCS implantation for chronic pain, can walk 10 meters without assistance, and can provide written informed consent are ideal candidates.

Not a fit: Patients at high risk of falling, those who cannot provide consent or refuse participation, or people not undergoing SCS implantation are unlikely to receive benefit from this protocol.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the work could improve how SCS devices are programmed to produce more consistent or helpful sensations and potentially improve pain control.

How similar studies have performed: SCS is an established treatment that commonly produces paresthesias and prior work has mapped sensations during programming, but systematic parameter-to-sensation mapping remains limited.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Male and female patients 18-85 years old
* Undergoing SCS implantation for treatment of chronic pain
* Subjects with ability to walk 10m without assistance
* Provides written consent for the study

Exclusion Criteria:

* Subjects with high risk of falling
* Refusal to participate in study
* Subjects lacking consent capacity

Where this trial is running

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.

View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Conditions: Pain Management, Pain, Intractable, Pain, Chronic Disease

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.