Using EMDR therapy to treat chronic pain in diabetic neuropathy
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) as a Treatment for Chronic Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
This study tests if EMDR therapy can help people with chronic pain from diabetic neuropathy feel less pain and improve their overall well-being.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 10 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Dijklander Ziekenhuis Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Hoorn) |
| Trial ID | NCT06171230 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This clinical trial investigates the effectiveness of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in reducing pain intensity for individuals suffering from chronic painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN). Participants will engage in EMDR therapy sessions aimed at processing emotionally charged pain-related events and addressing their pain directly. The study will also assess secondary outcomes such as anxiety, sleep disturbances, and the relationship between pain scores and PTSD symptoms. The design involves a single-case experimental approach, replicated nine times, to gather comprehensive data on treatment effects.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 18 and older with a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus and a pain severity score of 6 or higher.
Not a fit: Patients with severe psychiatric disorders, recent medication changes, or co-morbid conditions affecting the lower extremities may not benefit from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this therapy could significantly reduce pain and improve quality of life for patients with chronic diabetic neuropathy.
How similar studies have performed: While EMDR therapy has shown promise in treating other pain conditions like phantom pain and complex regional pain syndrome, its application for chronic diabetic neuropathy is novel and untested.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: * Age: ≥ 18 years. * Diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus. * Severity of pain in the past month, NRS-pain score ≥ 6. * Ability to communicate in both written and spoken Dutch. * Willingness to participate in the study (signed informed consent (IC)). Exclusion criteria: * Severe psychiatric disorders requiring immediate treatment. * IQ \< 80. * Initiation of medication within 3 months before the start of the study (medication in use for more than 3 months can be maintained; discontinuation of medication during the study is possible but not desirable). * Concurrent psychotherapeutic treatment targeting neuropathic pain during the study. * Substance abuse and/or dependence, unless medically prescribed. * Inability to complete the questionnaires. * Co-morbid conditions affecting the lower extremities, such as peripheral arterial disease, severe rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis. Other conditions causing pain in the feet and/or damage to the peripheral nervous system, for example, ulcers. * Co-morbid chronic pain syndromes.
Where this trial is running
Hoorn
- Dijklander Ziekenhuis — Hoorn, Netherlands (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Suzan Zyto, Drs — Dijklander Ziekenhuis
- Study coordinator: Patrick vd Molen, Drs
- Email: p.r.vandermolen@dijklander.nl
- Phone: 0031643120551
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.